Executive Summary of Propulsion on the Orion Abort Flight-Test Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Daniel S.; Koelfgen, Syri J.; Barnes, Marvin W.; McCauley, Rachel J.; Wall, Terry M.; Reed, Brian D.; Duncan, C. Miguel

2012-01-01

The NASA Orion Flight Test Office was tasked with conducting a series of flight tests in several launch abort scenarios to certify that the Orion Launch Abort System is capable of delivering astronauts aboard the Orion Crew Module to a safe environment, away from a failed booster. The first of this series was the Orion Pad Abort 1 Flight-Test Vehicle, which was successfully flown on May 6, 2010 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This paper provides a brief overview of the three propulsive subsystems used on the Pad Abort 1 Flight-Test Vehicle. An overview of the propulsive systems originally planned for future flight-test vehicles is also provided, which also includes the cold gas Reaction Control System within the Crew Module, and the Peacekeeper first stage rocket motor encased within the Abort Test Booster aeroshell. Although the Constellation program has been cancelled and the operational role of the Orion spacecraft has significantly evolved, lessons learned from Pad Abort 1 and the other flight-test vehicles could certainly contribute to the vehicle architecture of many future human-rated space launch vehicles.

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-12-01

This photo gives an overhead look at an RS-88 development rocket engine being test fired at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in support of the Pad Abort Demonstration (PAD) test flights for NASA's Orbital Space Plane (OSP). The tests could be instrumental in developing the first crew launch escape system in almost 30 years. Paving the way for a series of integrated PAD test flights, the engine tests support development of a system that could pull a crew safely away from danger during liftoff. A series of 16 hot fire tests of a 50,000-pound thrust RS-88 rocket engine were conducted, resulting in a total of 55 seconds of successful engine operation. The engine is being developed by the Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power unit of the Boeing Company. Integrated launch abort demonstration tests in 2005 will use four RS-88 engines to separate a test vehicle from a test platform, simulating pulling a crewed vehicle away from an aborted launch. Four 156-foot parachutes will deploy and carry the vehicle to landing. Lockheed Martin is building the vehicles for the PAD tests. Seven integrated tests are plarned for 2005 and 2006.

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-12-01

In this photo, an RS-88 development rocket engine is being test fired at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in support of the Pad Abort Demonstration (PAD) test flights for NASA's Orbital Space Plane (OSP). The tests could be instrumental in developing the first crew launch escape system in almost 30 years. Paving the way for a series of integrated PAD test flights, the engine tests support development of a system that could pull a crew safely away from danger during liftoff. A series of 16 hot fire tests of a 50,000-pound thrust RS-88 rocket engine were conducted, resulting in a total of 55 seconds of successful engine operation. The engine is being developed by the Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power unit of the Boeing Company. Integrated launch abort demonstration tests in 2005 will use four RS-88 engines to separate a test vehicle from a test platform, simulating pulling a crewed vehicle away from an aborted launch. Four 156-foot parachutes will deploy and carry the vehicle to landing. Lockheed Martin is building the vehicles for the PAD tests. Seven integrated tests are plarned for 2005 and 2006.

STS-32 Columbia, OV-102, is positioned on the hard stand at KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-11-28

S89-51983 (18 Nov 1989) --- Roll-out of the Space Shuttle Columbia is completed as the vehicle, atop the Mobile Launcher Platform, is positioned on the hard stand at Pad 39A. The approximately eight-hour journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 2:32 a.m. EST. This marks the first time a Space Shuttle has been at Pad A at Launch Complex 39 since January 12, 1986, when Columbia was launched on mission 61C. Pad A will next be used for the launch of Columbia and a five person crew on the STS-32 mission, presently scheduled for no earlier than December 18, 1989.

KSC-2009-5543

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With the work platforms retracted, the Ares I-X stands tall inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The platforms were retracted in preparation for the rocket's rollout to Launch Pad 39B. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5546

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The towering 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket rides aboard a crawler-transporter as it exits the massive Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is bolted to its mobile launcher platform for the move to the launch pad. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5529

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Spotlighted against the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket begins its slow trek to Launch Pad 39B. The move, known as "rollout," began at 1:39 a.m. EDT. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Executive Summary of Propulsion on the Orion Abort Flight-Test Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Daniel S.; Brooks, Syri J.; Barnes, Marvin W.; McCauley, Rachel J.; Wall, Terry M.; Reed, Brian D.; Duncan, C. Miguel

2012-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Orion Flight Test Office was tasked with conducting a series of flight tests in several launch abort scenarios to certify that the Orion Launch Abort System is capable of delivering astronauts aboard the Orion Crew Module to a safe environment, away from a failed booster. The first of this series was the Orion Pad Abort 1 Flight-Test Vehicle, which was successfully flown on May 6, 2010 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This report provides a brief overview of the three propulsive subsystems used on the Pad Abort 1 Flight-Test Vehicle. An overview of the propulsive systems originally planned for future flight-test vehicles is also provided, which also includes the cold gas Reaction Control System within the Crew Module, and the Peacekeeper first stage rocket motor encased within the Abort Test Booster aeroshell. Although the Constellation program has been cancelled and the operational role of the Orion spacecraft has significantly evolved, lessons learned from Pad Abort 1 and the other flight-test vehicles could certainly contribute to the vehicle architecture of many future human-rated space launch vehicles

Ground level view of Apollo 14 space vehicle leaving VAB for launch pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-11-09

S70-54121 (9 Nov. 1970) --- A ground level view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), showing the Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower, atop a huge crawler-transporter, were rolled out to Pad A. The Apollo 14 crewmen will be astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

Russian Soyuz Moves to Launch Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

The Soyuz TM-31 launch vehicle, which carried the first resident crew to the International Space Station, moves toward the launch pad at the Baikonur complex in Kazakhstan. The Russian Soyuz launch vehicle is an expendable spacecraft that evolved out of the original Class A (Sputnik). From the early 1960' until today, the Soyuz launch vehicle has been the backbone of Russia's marned and unmanned space launch fleet. Today, the Soyuz launch vehicle is marketed internationally by a joint Russian/French consortium called STARSEM. As of August 2001, there have been ten Soyuz missions under the STARSEM banner.

Apollo 6 Transported to Launch Pad at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

Apollo 6, the second and last of the unmarned Saturn V test flights, is slowly transported past the Vehicle Assembly Building on the way to launch pad 39-A. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

STS-29 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, roll out to KSC LC Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

In the early morning hours, STS-29 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, mated to the external tank (ET) and solid rocket boosters (SRBs) is rolled out to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B atop the mobile launcher platform. Trees, shrubs, and a light mist surround the mobile launcher platform as it makes its way to LC Pad 39B. OV-103 will fly on Mission STS-29 scheduled for launch in mid-March. View provided by KSC with alternate KSC number KSC-89PC-50.

Performance Analysis and Design Synthesis (PADS) computer program. Volume 1: Formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The program formulation for PADS computer program is presented. It can size launch vehicles in conjunction with calculus-of-variations optimal trajectories and can also be used as a general-purpose branched trajectory optimization program. In the former use, it has the Space Shuttle Synthesis Program as well as a simplified stage weight module for optimally sizing manned recoverable launch vehicles. For trajectory optimization alone or with sizing, PADS has two trajectory modules. The first trajectory module uses the method of steepest descent; the second employs the method of quasilinearization, which requires a starting solution from the first trajectory module.

Large Crawler Crane for new lightning protection system

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-25

A large crawler crane moves past the Vehicle Assembly Building on its way to Launch Pad 39B. The crane with its 70-foot boom will be used to construct a new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

High angle view of Apollo 14 space vehicle on way to Pad A

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-11-09

S70-54127 (9 Nov. 1970) --- A high-angle view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), showing the Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle on the way from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad A. The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower sit atop a huge crawler-transporter. The Apollo 14 crewmen will be astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

High angle view of Apollo 14 space vehicle on way to Pad A

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-11-09

S70-54119 (9 Nov. 1970) --- A high-angle view at Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), showing the Apollo 14 (Spacecraft 110/Lunar Module 8/Saturn 509) space vehicle on the way from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad A. The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower sit atop a huge crawler-transporter. The Apollo 14 crewmen will be astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., commander; Stuart A. Roosa, command module pilot; and Edgar D. Mitchell, lunar module pilot.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, moves away from the Vehicle Assembly Building with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, moves away from the Vehicle Assembly Building with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

An Overview of the Percutaneous Antibiotic Delivery Technique for Osteomyelitis Treatment and a Case Study of Calcaneal Osteomyelitis.

PubMed

Karr, Jeffrey C

2017-11-01

A percutaneous antibiotic delivery technique (PAD-T) used for the adjunctive management of osteomyelitis is presented. This surgical technique incorporates a calcium sulfate and hydroxyapatite (calcium phosphate) bone void filler acting as a carrier vehicle with either an antibiotic or an antifungal medicine, delivering this combination directly into the area of osteomyelitis. The benefit of the PAD-T is reviewed with a case presentation of a successfully treated calcaneal osteomyelitis. No previously reported PAD-T using a simple bone cortex incision in the adjunctive treatment of osteomyelitis has been reported. The PAD-T safely and effectively uses a calcium sulfate and hydroxyapatite bone void filler carrier vehicle to deliver either an antibiotic or an antifungal medicine directly into the area of osteomyelitis.

KSC-2009-5915

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Sunrise at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals the rotating service structure and the arms of the vehicle stabilization system have been retracted from around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-98pc1044

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-06

In this aerial view the Crawler Transporter Maintenance Building (center) sits between two crawler transporters. The KSC crawlers are the largest tracked vehicles known. Once used to move assembled Apollo/Saturn from the VAB to the launch pad, they are now used for transporting Shuttle vehicles. They move the Mobile Launcher Platform into the Vehicle Assembly Building and then to the Launch Pad with an assembled space vehicle. Maximum speed is 1.6 km (one mile) per hour loaded, about 3.2 km (2 miles) per hour unloaded. Launch Pad to VAB trip time with the Mobile Launch Platform is about 5 hours. The crawler burns 568 liters (150 gallons) of diesel oil per mile. KSC's two crawlers have accumulated 1,243 miles since 1977. Including the Apollo years, the transporters have racked up 2,526 miles, about the same distance as a one-way trip from KSC to Los Angeles by interstate highway or a round trip between KSC and New York City

Aerial view of the KSC crawler transporters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

In this aerial view the Crawler Transporter Maintenance Building (center) sits between two crawler transporters. The KSC crawlers are the largest tracked vehicles known. Once used to move assembled Apollo/Saturn from the VAB to the launch pad, they are now used for transporting Shuttle vehicles. They move the Mobile Launcher Platform into the Vehicle Assembly Building and then to the Launch Pad with an assembled space vehicle. Maximum speed is 1.6 km (one mile) per hour loaded, about 3.2 km (2 miles) per hour unloaded. Launch Pad to VAB trip time with the Mobile Launch Platform is about 5 hours. The crawler burns 568 liters (150 gallons) of diesel oil per mile. KSC's two crawlers have accumulated 1,243 miles since 1977. Including the Apollo years, the transporters have racked up 2,526 miles, about the same distance as a one-way trip from KSC to Los Angeles by interstate highway or a round trip between KSC and New York City.

Evaluation of Skylab IB sensitivity to on-pad winds with turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coffin, T.

1972-01-01

Computer simulation was performed to estimate displacements and bending moments experienced by the SKYLAB 1B vehicle on the launch pad due to atmospheric winds. The vehicle was assumed to be a beam-like structure represented by a finite number of generalized coordinates. Wind flow across the vehicle was treated as a nonhomogeneous, stationary random process. Response computations were performed by the assumption of simple strip theory and application of generalized harmonic analysis. Displacement and bending moment statistics were obtained for six vehicle propellant loading conditions and four representative reference wind profile and turbulence levels. Means, variances and probability distributions are presented graphically for each case. A separate analysis was performed to indicate the influence of wind gradient variations on vehicle response statistics.

Nighttime view of Apollo 9 space vehicle at Pad A, Launch Complex 39

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-02-23

S69-25879 (23 Feb. 1969) --- Nighttime view of the 363-feet-high Apollo 9 space vehicle at Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, during preparations for the scheduled 10-day Earth-orbital space mission. The crew of the Apollo 9 (Spacecraft 104/Lunar Module 3/Saturn 504) space flight will be astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart.

03pd2202

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. – This aerial view shows Launch Complex 39 Area. At center is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. On the horizon at the far left is Launch Pad 39B; to the right is Launch Pad 39A. The crawlerway can be seen stretching from the VAB toward Pad A. Waters of the Banana Creek and Banana River surround the pads. At center right is the Turn Basin.

KSC-03pd2202

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This aerial view shows the Launch Complex 39 Area. At center is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. On the horizon at the far left is Launch Pad 39B to the right is Launch Pad 39A. The crawlerway can be seen stretching from the VAB toward Pad A. Waters of the Banana Creek and Banana River surround the pads. At center right is the Turn Basin. Photo credit: NASA

KSC01pp0565

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Viewed from across the turn basin at Launch Complex 39 area, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. (71.6 m). Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

KSC01padig173

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-03-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Viewed from across the turn basin at Launch Complex 39 area, Space Shuttle Endeavour leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 (open door) atop a Mobile Launcher Platform and begins rolling to Launch Pad 39A via a crawler-transporter. The combined height of the Shuttle, MLP and transporter is 235.2 ft. (71.6 m). Once at the pad, routine launch pad validations will commence, verifying all vehicle and facility interfaces. Endeavour is expected to lift off on mission STS-100 on April 19, carrying the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello and the Canadian robotic arm, SSRMS, to the International Space Station

KSC-00pp0405

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Just after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter wends its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0405

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Just after departing the Vehicle Assembly Building, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter wends its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC-00pp0407

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Seen from across the backwaters of the Indian River Lagoon, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, nears Launch Pad 39A at 1 mph. The crawler-transporter takes about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0407

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Seen from across the backwaters of the Indian River Lagoon, the Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, nears Launch Pad 39A at 1 mph. The crawler-transporter takes about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

ATLAS/AGENA - ON PAD - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1965-10-25

S65-57967 (25 Oct. 1965) --- View at Pad 14 during prelaunch operations for the Atlas/Agena. The Agena is mounted atop its Atlas launch vehicle. The Atlas/Agena liftoff was at 10 a.m. (EST) on Oct. 25, 1965. Intended as a rendezvous target vehicle in the Gemini-6 mission, the Agena failed to achieve orbit, and the Oct. 25 Gemini-6 launch was scrubbed. Photo credit: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Delta-90 Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-H (IMP-H) flash flight report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Delta-90 launch vehicle and the IMP-H spacecraft were successfully launched from Pad B, Complex 17, Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Florida, at 2120:00.559 EDT on September 22, 1972. The countdown proceeded smoothly to liftoff with no major difficulties or unscheduled holds. The Delta-90/IMP-H were launched on a pad azimuth of 115 degrees, the vehicle ten rolled to 95 degrees from the north placing the spacecraft in a highly elliptical transfer orbit. Firing the spacecraft kickmotor at 1136 EDT, September 25, 1972, injected the spacecraft into its final desirable near-circular orbit approximately half way between the planet earth and its moon. Vehicle performance of all stages appeared nominal with all sequenced events occurring at the expected times. Data acquisition from all range stations was very good. Damage to the launch pad caused by liftoff was nominal.

Performance Analysis and Design Synthesis (PADS) computer program. Volume 2: Program description, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Performance Analysis and Design Synthesis (PADS) computer program has a two-fold purpose. It can size launch vehicles in conjunction with calculus-of-variations optimal trajectories and can also be used as a general-purpose branched trajectory optimization program. In the former use, it has the Space Shuttle Synthesis Program as well as a simplified stage weight module for optimally sizing manned recoverable launch vehicles. For trajectory optimization alone or with sizing, PADS has two trajectory modules. The first trajectory module uses the method of steepest descent; the second employs the method of quasilinearization, which requires a starting solution from the first trajectory module. For Volume 1 see N73-13199.

Development of Modeling Capabilities for Launch Pad Acoustics and Ignition Transient Environment Prediction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, Jeff; Strutzenberg, Louise L.; Putnam, Gabriel C.; Liever, Peter A.; Williams, Brandon R.

2012-01-01

This paper presents development efforts to establish modeling capabilities for launch vehicle liftoff acoustics and ignition transient environment predictions. Peak acoustic loads experienced by the launch vehicle occur during liftoff with strong interaction between the vehicle and the launch facility. Acoustic prediction engineering tools based on empirical models are of limited value in efforts to proactively design and optimize launch vehicles and launch facility configurations for liftoff acoustics. Modeling approaches are needed that capture the important details of the plume flow environment including the ignition transient, identify the noise generation sources, and allow assessment of the effects of launch pad geometric details and acoustic mitigation measures such as water injection. This paper presents a status of the CFD tools developed by the MSFC Fluid Dynamics Branch featuring advanced multi-physics modeling capabilities developed towards this goal. Validation and application examples are presented along with an overview of application in the prediction of liftoff environments and the design of targeted mitigation measures such as launch pad configuration and sound suppression water placement.

KSC-2009-5916

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – As the sun rises over Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure and the arms of the vehicle stabilization system have been retracted from around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket, resting atop its mobile launcher platform, for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5911

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Workers on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepare the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket for launch. The rotating service structure and the arms of the vehicle stabilization system will be moved from around the rocket for liftoff. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5912

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Workers on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida make final preparations for launch of the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket. The rotating service structure and the arms of the vehicle stabilization system will be moved from around the rocket for liftoff. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Does increased traffic flow around unconventional resource development activities represent the major respiratory hazard to neighboring communities?: knowns and unknowns.

PubMed

McCawley, Michael A

2017-03-01

The objective of this review is to demonstrate that the focus on air emissions causing respiratory effects and associated with gas development may be misplaced by attributing those exposures mainly to well pad activities. The most recent publications on the health effects of hydraulic fracturing operations seem to parallel findings from studies of diesel particulate exposure near roadways and the health effects associated with those exposures. It seems at least possible that some, if not all, of the respiratory effects associated with unconventional resource development may be traffic-related. Road traffic generated by hydraulic fracturing operations is one possible source of environmental impact whose significance has, until now, been largely neglected in the available literature with 4000 to 6000 vehicles visiting the well pad. Exposures from well pads diminish rapidly with distances of only a few kilometers but there is evidence showing disease risk multiple kilometers from well pads. This leaves open the possibility that the several thousand vehicle trips per well pad create traffic emissions over wide areas away from the pad. This alternative source of exposure has not previously been well studied but is being more seriously considered.

Analysis of the March 30, 2011 Hail Event at Shuttle Launch Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, John E.; Doesken, Nolan J.; Kasparis, Takis C.; Sharp, David W.

2012-01-01

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Hail Monitor System, a joint effort of the NASA KSC Physics Lab and the KSC Engineering Services Contract (ESC) Applied Technology Lab, was first deployed for operational testing in the fall of 2006. Volunteers from the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) in conjunction with Colorado State University have been instrumental in validation testing using duplicate hail monitor systems at sites in the hail prone high plains of Colorado. The KSC Hail Monitor System (HMS), consisting of three stations positioned approximately 500 ft from the launch pad and forming an approximate equilateral triangle, as shown in Figure 1, was first deployed to Pad 39B for support of STS-115. Two months later, the HMS was deployed to Pad 39A for support of STS-116. During support of STS-117 in late February 2007, an unusually intense (for Florida standards) hail event occurred in the immediate vicinity of the exposed space shuttle and launch pad. Hail data of this event was collected by the HMS and analyzed. Support of STS-118 revealed another important application of the hail monitor system. Ground Instrumentation personnel check the hail monitors daily when a vehicle is on the launch pad, with special attention after any storm suspected of containing hail. If no hail is recorded by the HMS, the vehicle and pad inspection team has no need to conduct a thorough inspection of the vehicle immediately following a storm. On the afternoon of July 13, 2007, hail on the ground was reported by observers at the Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) and Launch Control Center (LCC), about three miles west of Pad 39A, as well as at several other locations at KSC. The HMS showed no impact detections, indicating that the shuttle had not been damaged by any of the numerous hail events which occurred on that day.

NASA Manned Launch Vehicle Lightning Protection Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCollum, Matthew B.; Jones, Steven R.; Mack, Jonathan D.

2009-01-01

Historically, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) relied heavily on lightning avoidance to protect launch vehicles and crew from lightning effects. As NASA transitions from the Space Shuttle to the new Constellation family of launch vehicles and spacecraft, NASA engineers are imposing design and construction standards on the spacecraft and launch vehicles to withstand both the direct and indirect effects of lightning. A review of current Space Shuttle lightning constraints and protection methodology will be presented, as well as a historical review of Space Shuttle lightning requirements and design. The Space Shuttle lightning requirements document, NSTS 07636, Lightning Protection, Test and Analysis Requirements, (originally published as document number JSC 07636, Lightning Protection Criteria Document) was developed in response to the Apollo 12 lightning event and other experiences with NASA and the Department of Defense launch vehicles. This document defined the lightning environment, vehicle protection requirements, and design guidelines for meeting the requirements. The criteria developed in JSC 07636 were a precursor to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) lightning standards. These SAE standards, along with Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) DO-160, Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, are the basis for the current Constellation lightning design requirements. The development and derivation of these requirements will be presented. As budget and schedule constraints hampered lightning protection design and verification efforts, the Space Shuttle elements waived the design requirements and relied on lightning avoidance in the form of launch commit criteria (LCC) constraints and a catenary wire system for lightning protection at the launch pads. A better understanding of the lightning environment has highlighted the vulnerability of the protection schemes and associated risk to the vehicle, which has resulted in lost launch opportunities and increased expenditures in manpower to assess Space Shuttle vehicle health and safety after lightning events at the launch pad. Because of high-percentage launch availability and long-term on-pad requirements, LCC constraints are no longer considered feasible. The Constellation vehicles must be designed to withstand direct and indirect effects of lightning. A review of the vehicle design and potential concerns will be presented as well as the new catenary lightning protection system for the launch pad. This system is required to protect the Constellation vehicles during launch processing when vehicle lightning effects protection might be compromised by such items as umbilical connections and open access hatches.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the cab of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, driver Sam Dove, with United Space Alliance, operates the vehicle on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Inside the cab of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2, driver Sam Dove, with United Space Alliance, operates the vehicle on a test run to the launch pad. The CT recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KSC-2009-5848

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As nightfall comes to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the pad and the Ares I-X rocket awaiting the approaching liftoff of its flight test. This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5849

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As nightfall comes to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the pad and the Ares I-X rocket awaiting the approaching liftoff of its flight test. This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5850

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As nightfall comes to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the pad and the Ares I-X rocket awaiting the approaching liftoff of its flight test. This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5847

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As nightfall comes to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the pad and the Ares I-X rocket awaiting the approaching liftoff of its flight test. This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5846

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-23

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - As nightfall comes to Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the pad and the Ares I-X rocket awaiting the approaching liftoff of its flight test. This is the first time since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired that a vehicle other than the space shuttle has occupied the pad. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is set for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-4302

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection, or MRAP, vehicles arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas. Each vehicle will be processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2013-4300

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection, or MRAP, vehicles arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas. Each vehicle will be processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2013-4301

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-12-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The first of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection, or MRAP, vehicles arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas. Each vehicle will be processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Grippers Based on Opposing Van Der Waals Adhesive Pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parness, Aaron (Inventor); Kennedy, Brett A. (Inventor); Heverly, Matthew C (Inventor); Cutkosky, Mark R. (Inventor); Hawkes, Elliot Wright (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Novel gripping structures based on van der Waals adhesive forces are disclosed. Pads covered with fibers can be activated in pairs by opposite forces, thereby enabling control of the adhesive force in an ON or OFF state. Pads can be used in groups, each comprising a group of opposite pads. The adhesive structures enable anchoring forces that can resist adverse forces from different directions. The adhesive structures can be used to enable the operation of robots on surfaces of space vehicles.

Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection vehicles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection, or MRAP, vehicles sits near space shuttle-era M-113 vehicles at the Maintenance and Operations Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MRAPs arrived from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas in December 2013. The vehicles were processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The effect of spring pads in the secondary suspension of railway vehicles on bogie yaw resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michálek, Tomáš; Zelenka, Jaromír

2015-12-01

This paper deals with properties of bogie yaw resistance of an electric locomotive with secondary suspension consisting of flexi-coil springs supplemented with tilting spring pads. Transversal stiffness of a sample of a spring/pad assembly was measured on a dynamic test stand of the University of Pardubice (Czech Republic) and the results were applied into a multi-body model of the locomotive created in the simulation tool 'SJKV'. On the basis of the simulation results, a detailed analysis of the bogie yaw resistance was performed in order to explain the effect in dynamic behaviour of the locomotive when the moment against bogie rotation (and therefore the distribution of guiding forces on individual wheels, as well) is influenced with the vehicle speed in a certain curve. Results of this analysis show that the application of suspension elements with strongly directionally dependent transversal stiffness into the secondary suspension can just lead to a dependency of the bogie yaw resistance on cant deficiency, i.e. on the vehicle speed in curve. This fact has wide consequences on the vehicle dynamics (especially on the guiding behaviour of the vehicle in curves) and it also points out that the current method of evaluation of the bogie yaw resistance according to relevant standards, which is related with assessment of the quasistatic safety of a railway vehicle against derailment, is not objective enough.

Pad A Main Flame Deflector Sensor Data and Evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parlier, Christopher R.

2011-01-01

Space shuttle launch pads use flame deflectors beneath the vehicle to channel hot gases away from the vehicle. Pad 39 A at the Kennedy Space Center uses a steel structure coated with refractory concrete. The solid rocket booster plume is comprised of gas and molten alumina oxide particles that erodes the refractory concrete. During the beginning of the shuttle program the loads for this system were never validated with a high level of confidence. This paper presents a representation of the instrumentation data collected and follow on materials science evaluation of the materials exposed to the SRB plume. Data collected during STS-133 and STS-134 will be presented that support the evaluation of the components exposed to the SRB plume.

ATK Launch Vehicle (ALV-X1) Liftoff Acoustic Environments: Prediction vs. Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houston, Janice; Counter, Douglas; Kenny, Jeremy; Murphy, John

2009-01-01

The ATK Launch Vehicle (ALV-X1) provided an opportunity to measure liftoff acoustic noise data. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) engineers were interested in the ALV-X1 launch because the First Stage motor and launch pad conditions, including a relativity short deflector ducting, provide a potential analogue to future Ares I launches. This paper presents the measured liftoff acoustics on the vehicle and tower. Those measured results are compared to predictions based upon the method described in NASA SP-8072 "Acoustic Loads Generated by the Propulsion System" and the Vehicle Acoustic Environment Prediction Program (VAEPP) which was developed by MSFC acoustics engineers. One-third octave band sound pressure levels will be presented. This data is useful for the ALV-X1 in validating the pre-launch environments and loads predictions. Additionally, the ALV-X1 liftoff data can be scaled to define liftoff environments for the NASA Constellation program Ares vehicles. Vehicle liftoff noise is caused by the supersonic jet flow interaction with surrounding atmosphere or more simply, jet noise. As the vehicle's First Stage motor is ignited, an acoustic noise field is generated by the exhaust. This noise field persists due to the supersonic jet noise and reflections from the launch pad and tower, then changes as the vehicle begins to liftoff from the launch pad. Depending on launch pad and adjacent tower configurations, the liftoff noise is generally very high near the nozzle exit and decreases rapidly away from the nozzle. The liftoff acoustic time range of interest is typically 0 to 20 seconds after ignition. The exhaust plume thermo-fluid mechanics generates sound at approx.10 Hz to 20 kHz. Liftoff acoustic noise is usually the most severe dynamic environment for a launch vehicle or payload in the mid to high frequency range (approx.50 to 2000 Hz). This noise environment can induce high-level vibrations along the external surfaces of the vehicle and surrounding launch facility structures. The acoustic pressure fluctuations will induce severe vibrations in relatively large lightweight structures. Consequently, there is the potential for failure of the structure or attached electrical components. Due to these potential failures, the liftoff acoustic noise is one of the noise source inputs used to determine the vibro-acoustic qualification environment for a launch vehicle and its components.

STS-30 Atlantis, OV-104, on the mobile launcher platform heads to KSC LC pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-30 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, riding atop the mobile launcher platform and the crawler transporter approaches Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) pad 39B. This backlit view highlights OV-104's profile, the external tank (ET), and one of the two solid rocket boosters (SRBs) as it moves up LC pad 39B incline.

KSC-2009-5913

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure has been rolled back from the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket, sitting atop its mobile launcher platform, during preparations for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5914

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, xenon lights illuminate the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket after the rotating service structure, has been retracted from around it for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5917

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Daybreak at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida reveals the rotating service structure rolled back from around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket for launch. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, and the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Hail Disrometer Array for Launch Systems Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lane, John E.; Sharp, David W.; Kasparis, Takis C.; Doesken, Nolan J.

2008-01-01

Prior to launch, the space shuttle might be described as a very large thermos bottle containing substantial quantities of cryogenic fuels. Because thermal insulation is a critical design requirement, the external wall of the launch vehicle fuel tank is covered with an insulating foam layer. This foam is fragile and can be damaged by very minor impacts, such as that from small- to medium-size hail, which may go unnoticed. In May 1999, hail damage to the top of the External Tank (ET) of STS-96 required a rollback from the launch pad to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for repair of the insulating foam. Because of the potential for hail damage to the ET while exposed to the weather, a vigilant hail sentry system using impact transducers was developed as a hail damage warning system and to record and quantify hail events. The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Hail Monitor System, a joint effort of the NASA and University Affiliated Spaceport Technology Development Contract (USTDC) Physics Labs, was first deployed for operational testing in the fall of 2006. Volunteers from the Community Collaborative Rain. Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) in conjunction with Colorado State University were and continue to be active in testing duplicate hail monitor systems at sites in the hail prone high plains of Colorado. The KSC Hail Monitor System (HMS), consisting of three stations positioned approximately 500 ft from the launch pad and forming an approximate equilateral triangle (see Figure 1), was deployed to Pad 39B for support of STS-115. Two months later, the HMS was deployed to Pad 39A for support of STS-116. During support of STS-117 in late February 2007, an unusual hail event occurred in the immediate vicinity of the exposed space shuttle and launch pad. Hail data of this event was collected by the HMS and analyzed. Support of STS-118 revealed another important application of the hail monitor system. Ground Instrumentation personnel check the hail monitors daily when a vehicle is on the launch pad, with special attention after any storm suspected of containing hail. If no hail is recorded by the HMS, the vehicle and pad inspection team has no need to conduct a thorough inspection of the vehicle immediately following a storm. On the afternoon of July 13, 2007, hail on the ground was reported by observers at the VAB, about three miles west of Pad 39A, as well as at several other locations around Kennedy Space Center. The HMS showed no impact detections, indicating that the shuttle had not been damaged by any of the numerous hail events which occurred that day.

Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection vehicles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection, or MRAP, vehicles is driven to the Maintenance and Operations Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MRAPs arrived from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas in December 2013. The vehicles were processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection vehicles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A URS Federal Services worker pulls down the steps to the entrance of one of the four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected, or MRAP, vehicles at the Maintenance and Operations Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MRAPs arrived from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas in December 2013. The vehicles were processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protection vehicles

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A view of the interior of one of four new emergency egress vehicles, called Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected, or MRAP, vehicles is shown. The MRAPs are at the Maintenance and Operations Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MRAPs arrived from the U.S. Army Red River Depot in Texarkana, Texas in December 2013. The vehicles were processed in and then transported to the Rotation, Processing and Surge Facility near the Vehicle Assembly Building for temporary storage. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy led the efforts to an emergency egress vehicle that future astronauts could quickly use to leave the Launch Complex 39 area in case of an emergency. During crewed launches of NASA’s Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, the MRAP will be stationed by the slidewire termination area at the pad. In case of an emergency, the crew will ride a slidewire to the ground and immediately board the MRAP for safe egress from the pad. The new vehicles replace the M-113 vehicles that were used during the Space Shuttle Program. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Dynamic vehicle-track interaction in switches and crossings and the influence of rail pad stiffness - field measurements and validation of a simulation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pålsson, Björn A.; Nielsen, Jens C. O.

2015-06-01

A model for simulation of dynamic interaction between a railway vehicle and a turnout (switch and crossing, S&C) is validated versus field measurements. In particular, the implementation and accuracy of viscously damped track models with different complexities are assessed. The validation data come from full-scale field measurements of dynamic track stiffness and wheel-rail contact forces in a demonstrator turnout that was installed as part of the INNOTRACK project with funding from the European Union Sixth Framework Programme. Vertical track stiffness at nominal wheel loads, in the frequency range up to 20 Hz, was measured using a rolling stiffness measurement vehicle (RSMV). Vertical and lateral wheel-rail contact forces were measured by an instrumented wheel set mounted in a freight car featuring Y25 bogies. The measurements were performed for traffic in both the through and diverging routes, and in the facing and trailing moves. The full set of test runs was repeated with different types of rail pad to investigate the influence of rail pad stiffness on track stiffness and contact forces. It is concluded that impact loads on the crossing can be reduced by using more resilient rail pads. To allow for vehicle dynamics simulations at low computational cost, the track models are discretised space-variant mass-spring-damper models that are moving with each wheel set of the vehicle model. Acceptable agreement between simulated and measured vertical contact forces at the crossing can be obtained when the standard GENSYS track model is extended with one ballast/subgrade mass under each rail. This model can be tuned to capture the large phase delay in dynamic track stiffness at low frequencies, as measured by the RSMV, while remaining sufficiently resilient at higher frequencies.

Feasibility Study of Helicopter-Towed Air Custion Logistic Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-01

ILL7808/23699 ,ESSO/ ENCO TJ-15,ESSO/ ENCO 5251, TEXACO /CALTEX SATO 5180, 0 SINCLAIR TURBO OIL TYPE 11, P&WA 521B OUTPUT PAD(S): DUAL DRIVE PADS, AS 46963...Yi3 4 W’s ~" :.~ .. 3d Tyia Mode 913-30 DETOIT DISEL ~ )Gm Tyia Moel 9163-7300nealMoor MODEL 16V-149 F9163-7000 16V-149T 963-7300 .. . .... Tyia oe 1370

KSC-2011-6159

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the water tower (right) which supported the space shuttle's water deluge system still stands on Launch Pad 39B after the pad's deconstruction. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Feasibility study of launch vehicle ground cloud neutralization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderarend, P. C.; Stoy, S. T.; Kranyecz, T. E.

1976-01-01

The distribution of hydrogen chloride in the cloud was analyzed as a function of launch pad geometry and rate of rise of the vehicle during the first 24 sec of burn in order to define neutralization requirements. Delivery systems of various types were developed in order to bring the proposed chemical agents in close contact with the hydrogen chloride. Approximately one-third of the total neutralizing agent required can be delivered from a ground installed system at the launch pad; concentrated sodium carbonate solution is the preferred choice of agent for this launch pad system. Two-thirds of the neutralization requirement appears to need delivery by aircraft. Only one chemical agent (ammonia) may be reasonably considered for delivery by aircraft, because weight and bulk of all other agents are too large.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-43

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, James Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris/ice Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Station Mission STS-43. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank (ET) were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and to evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-40

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris, ice, Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis for Space Shuttle Mission STS-40 was conducted. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice and frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice and debris sources and to evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies.

KSC-2009-5541

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket stands on its mobile launcher platform. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Apollo/Saturn V facilities Test Vehicle and Launch Umbilical Tower

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-05-25

An Apollo/Saturn V facilities Test Vehicle and Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) atop a crawler-transporter move from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on the way to Pad A. This test vehicle, designated the Apollo/Saturn 500-F, is being used to verify launch facilities, train launch crews, and develop test and checkout procedures.

The Effect of a Variable Disc Pad Friction Coefficient for the Mechanical Brake System of a Railway Vehicle

PubMed Central

Lee, Nam-Jin; Kang, Chul-Goo

2015-01-01

A brake hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS) system for a railway vehicle is widely applied to estimate and validate braking performance in research studies and field tests. When we develop a simulation model for a full vehicle system, the characteristics of all components are generally properly simplified based on the understanding of each component’s purpose and interaction with other components. The friction coefficient between the brake disc and the pad used in simulations has been conventionally considered constant, and the effect of a variable friction coefficient is ignored with the assumption that the variability affects the performance of the vehicle braking very little. However, the friction coefficient of a disc pad changes significantly within a range due to environmental conditions, and thus, the friction coefficient can affect the performance of the brakes considerably, especially on the wheel slide. In this paper, we apply a variable friction coefficient and analyzed the effects of the variable friction coefficient on a mechanical brake system of a railway vehicle. We introduce a mathematical formula for the variable friction coefficient in which the variable friction is represented by two variables and five parameters. The proposed formula is applied to real-time simulations using a brake HILS system, and the effectiveness of the formula is verified experimentally by testing the mechanical braking performance of the brake HILS system. PMID:26267883

The Effect of a Variable Disc Pad Friction Coefficient for the Mechanical Brake System of a Railway Vehicle.

PubMed

Lee, Nam-Jin; Kang, Chul-Goo

2015-01-01

A brake hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HILS) system for a railway vehicle is widely applied to estimate and validate braking performance in research studies and field tests. When we develop a simulation model for a full vehicle system, the characteristics of all components are generally properly simplified based on the understanding of each component's purpose and interaction with other components. The friction coefficient between the brake disc and the pad used in simulations has been conventionally considered constant, and the effect of a variable friction coefficient is ignored with the assumption that the variability affects the performance of the vehicle braking very little. However, the friction coefficient of a disc pad changes significantly within a range due to environmental conditions, and thus, the friction coefficient can affect the performance of the brakes considerably, especially on the wheel slide. In this paper, we apply a variable friction coefficient and analyzed the effects of the variable friction coefficient on a mechanical brake system of a railway vehicle. We introduce a mathematical formula for the variable friction coefficient in which the variable friction is represented by two variables and five parameters. The proposed formula is applied to real-time simulations using a brake HILS system, and the effectiveness of the formula is verified experimentally by testing the mechanical braking performance of the brake HILS system.

Floodlights illuminate view of Skylab 3 vehicle at Pad B, Launch Complex 39

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-07-20

S73-32568 (20 July 1973) --- Floodlights illuminate this nighttime view of the Skylab 3/Saturn 1B space vehicle at Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, during prelaunch preparations. The reflection is the water adds to the scene. In addition to the Command/Service Module and its launch escapte system, the Skylab 3 space vehicle consists of the Saturn 1B first (S-1B) stage and the Saturn 1B second (S-IVB) stage. The crew for the scheduled 59-day Skylab 3 mission in Earth orbit will be astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma. Skylab 3 was launched on July 28, 1973. Photo credit: NASA

SKYLAB IV - LAUNCH

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-11-27

S73-37285 (16 Nov. 1973) --- The Skylab 4/Saturn 1B space vehicle is launched from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 9:01:23 a.m. (EST), Friday, Nov. 16, 1973. Skylab 4 is the third and last of three scheduled manned Skylab missions. Aboard the Skylab 4 Command/Service Module were astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson and William R. Pogue. In addition to the CSM and its launch escape system, the Skylab 4 space vehicle consisted of the Saturn 1B first (S-1B) stage and the Saturn 1B second (S-IVB) stage. (The Skylab 1/Saturn V unmanned space vehicle with the space station payload was launched from Pad A on May 14, 1973). Photo credit: NASA

SKYLAB IV - LAUNCH

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-11-27

S73-37286 (16 Nov. 1973) --- The Skylab 4/Saturn 1B space vehicle is launched from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 9:01:23 a.m. (EST), Friday, Nov. 16, 1973. Skylab 4 is the third and last of three scheduled manned Skylab missions. Aboard the Skylab 4 Command/Service Module were astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson and William R. Pogue. In addition to the CSM and its launch escape system, the Skylab 4 space vehicle consisted of the Saturn 1B first (S-1B) stage and the Saturn 1B second (S-IVB) stage. (The Skylab 1/Saturn V unmanned space vehicle with the space station payload was launched from Pad A on May 14, 1973). Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2009-2293

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1 nears the top of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida via the crawler-transporter underneath. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Seen around the service structures on the pad are the new 600-foot lightning towers and masts erected for the Ares launches. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-2291

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1 is moving to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida via the crawler-transporter underneath. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Seen around the service structures on the pad are the new 600-foot lightning towers and masts erected for the Ares launches. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5951

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 12 times the thrust produced by a Boeing 747 jet aircraft, the Constellation Program's Ares I-X test rocket roars off Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and goes supersonic in 39 seconds. At left is space shuttle Atlantis, poised on Launch Pad 39A for liftoff, targeted for Nov. 16. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews

KSC-04PD-2451

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a simulated launch countdown/emergency simulation on Launch Pad 39A, the rescue team moves injured astronaut-suited workers out of the M-113 armored personnel carriers that transported them away from the pad (seen in the distance). Pad team members participated in the four-hour exercise simulating normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. The simulation tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

KSC-04PD-2450

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a simulated launch countdown/emergency simulation on Launch Pad 39A, the rescue team moves injured astronaut-suited workers out of the M-113 armored personnel carriers that transported them away from the pad (seen in the distance). Pad team members participated in the four-hour exercise simulating normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. The simulation tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

KSC-2011-6158

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cleanup of Launch Pad 39B is in progress. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were placed over the pad's concrete surfaces during deconstruction to protect them from falling debris. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd1339

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This radar image shows the presence of large birds around Launch Pad 39B. The data is being relayed from the avian radars recently set up on the pad. The computer is one of two set up in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

View of the Endeavour moving towards it launch pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-06-06

STS077-S-044 (16 April 1996) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavour atop the Mobile Launcher Platform and Crawler-Transporter (MLP/CT) slowly lumbers past a tree alongside the crawlerway, at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B will take about five to six hours to complete. Once hard down at the pad, preparations will continue to ready Endeavour for its upcoming spaceflight on STS-77.

KSC-2009-5542

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Poised inside Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ares I-X rocket's upper stage is adorned with the American flag, NASA logo, and the logos of the Constellation Program, Ares, and Ares I-X. The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Thermal insulation attaching means. [adhesive bonding of felt vibration insulators under ceramic tiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leger, L. J. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

An improved isolation system is provided for attaching ceramic tiles of insulating material to the surface of a structure to be protected against extreme temperatures of the nature expected to be encountered by the space shuttle orbiter. This system isolates the fragile ceramic tiles from thermally and mechanically induced vehicle structural strains. The insulating tiles are affixed to a felt isolation pad formed of closely arranged and randomly oriented fibers by means of a flexible adhesive and in turn the felt pad is affixed to the metallic vehicle structure by an additional layer of flexible adhesive.

KSC ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-29R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An ice/frost/debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-29R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The ice/frost/debris conditions of Mission STS-29R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Ames Infusion Stories for NASA Annual Technology Report: Development of an Ablative 3D Quartz / Cyanate Ester Composite Multi-Functional Material for the Orion Spacecraft Compression Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Brandon; Jan, Darrell Leslie; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

2015-01-01

Vehicles re-entering Earth's atmosphere require protection from the heat of atmospheric friction. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) has more demanding thermal protection system (TPS) requirements than the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions, especially in regions where the structural load passes through. The use of 2-dimensional laminate materials along with a metal insert, used in EFT1 flight test for the compression pad region, are deemed adequate but cannot be extended for Lunar return missions.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle Mission STS-32 (61-C)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Speece, Robert F.

1986-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-32 (61-C). This assessment begins with debris inspections of the flight elements and launch facilities before and after launch. Ice/Frost formations are calculated during cryogenic loading of the external tank followed by an on-pad assessment of the Shuttle vehicle and pad at T-3 hours in the countdown. High speed films are reviewed after launch to identify Ice/Frost/Debris sources and investigate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions and their effects on the Space Shuttle are documented.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-26R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1988-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris Assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-26R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions are assessed by use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is viewed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions of Mission 26R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program is documented.

Ice/frost/debris assessment for space shuttle mission STS-27R, December 2, 1988

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An Ice/Frost/Debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-27R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is viewed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The Ice/Frost/Debris conditions of Mission STS-27R and their effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Launch Vehicles

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-09

Under the goals of the Vision for Space Exploration, Ares I is a chief component of the cost-effective space transportation infrastructure being developed by NASA's Constellation Program. This transportation system will safely and reliably carry human explorers back to the moon, and then onward to Mars and other destinations in the solar system. Launch Pad 39B of the Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC), currently used for Space Shuttle launches, will be revised to host the Ares launch vehicles. The fixed and rotating service structures standing at the pad will be dismantled sometime after the Ares I-X test flight. A new launch tower for Ares I will be built onto a new mobile launch platform. The gantry for the shuttle doesn't reach much higher than the top of the four segments of the solid rocket booster. Pad access above the current shuttle launch pad structure will not be required for Ares I-X because the stages above the solid rocket booster are inert. For the test scheduled in 2012 or for the crewed flights, workers and astronauts will need access to the highest levels of the rocket and capsule. When the Ares I rocket rolls out to the launch pad on the back of the same crawler-transporters used now, its launch gantry will be with it. The mobile launchers will nestle under three lightning protection towers to be erected around the pad area. Ares time at the launch pad will be significantly less than the three weeks or more the shuttle requires. This “clean pad” approach minimizes equipment and servicing at the launch pad. It is the same plan NASA used with the Saturn V rockets and industry employs it with more modern launchers. The launch pad will also get a new emergency escape system for astronauts, one that looks very much like a roller coaster. Cars riding on a rail will replace the familiar baskets hanging from steel cables. This artist's concept illustrates the Ares I on launch pad 39B.

Constructing lightning towers for the Constellation Program and

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-09

On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, pilings are being pounded into the ground to help construct lightning towers for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Constructing lightning towers for the Constellation Program and

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-09

On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, workers measure the piling being pounded into the ground to help construct lightning towers for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

ASTRONAUT CERNAN, EUGENE A. - MISC. (WALK AWAY FROM PAD - GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-9 POSTPONED) - CAPE

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-05-17

S66-34559 (17 May 1966) --- Astronauts Thomas P. Stafford (left), command pilot, and Eugene A. Cernan, pilot, walk away from Pad 19 after the Gemini-9 mission was postponed. Failure of the Agena Target Vehicle to achieve orbit caused the postponement of the mission. Photo credit: NASA

Endeavour on way to Pad 39B for STS-77

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

A road sign points the way to Launch Pad 39B, the final earthly destination for the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its steppingstone into space. Endeavour began the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building at about 10 a.m., April 16, perched atop the mobile launcher platform and carried by the crawler-transporter. Upcoming activities at the pad to prepare Endeavour for flight on Mission STS-77 include installation of the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay.

Woodpecker Preventative measures at Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

Technicians at Launch Pad 39B take steps to prevent further damage from woodpeckers to the Space Shuttle Discovery, set to lift off July 13 on Mission STS-70. Installing balloons with scary eyes, such as these two near the external tank, are just one of the measures being taken to keep woodpeckers away since Discovery's second rollout to Pad B. Discovery had to be rolled back once to the Vehicle Assembly Building to repair woodpecker holes made in the insulation covering the external tank.

View of Apollo 15 space vehicle on way from VAB to Pad A, Launch Complex 39

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-05-11

S71-33781 (11 May 1971) --- High angle view showing the Apollo 15 (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) space vehicle on the way from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower are atop a huge crawler-transporter. Apollo 15 is scheduled as the fourth manned lunar landing mission by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The crew men will be astronauts David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot. While astronauts Scott and Irwin descend in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon, astronaut Worden will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

System and method for weighing and characterizing moving or stationary vehicles and cargo

DOEpatents

Beshears, David L [Knoxville, TN; Scudiere, Matthew B [Oak Ridge, TN; White, Clifford P [Seymour, TN

2008-05-20

A weigh-in-motion device and method having at least one transducer pad, each transducer pad having at least one transducer group with transducers positioned essentially perpendicular to the direction of travel. At least one pad microcomputer is provided on each transducer pad having a means for calculating first output signal indicative of weight, second output signal indicative of time, and third output signal indicative of speed. At least one host microcomputer is in electronic communication with each pad microcomputer, and having a means for calculating at least one unknown selected from the group consisting of individual tire weight, individual axle weight, axle spacing, speed profile, longitudinal center of balance, and transverse center of balance.

KSC-2012-6214

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6185

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 moves along the crawler way toward Launch Pad 39A following modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the launch pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-6199

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2012-6213

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6207

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6208

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6203

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6205

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6201

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2012-6202

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6198

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2012-6209

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6211

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6204

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6206

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-08

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 arrives at Launch Pad 39A to check out recently completed modifications to ensure its ability to carry launch vehicles such as the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/ Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd2454

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-11-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lamps spotlight the payload canister transporter as it slowly carries its cargo past the Vehicle Assembly Building on the road to Launch Pad 39B for mission STS-116. Inside the canister are the SPACEHAB module and the port 5 truss segment, which will be moved into the payload changeout room at the pad and transferred into Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay once the vehicle has rolled out to the pad. The payload canister is 65 feet long, 18 feet wide and 18 feet, 7 inches high. It has the capability to carry vertically or horizontally processed payloads up to 15 feet in diameter and 60 feet long, matching the capacity of the orbiter payload bay. It can carry payloads weighing up to 65,000 pounds. Clamshell-shaped doors at the top of the canister operate like the orbiter payload bay doors, with the same allowable clearances. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

A Flight Dynamics Perspective of the Orion Pad Abort One Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Idicula, Jinu; Williams-Hayes, Peggy S.; Stillwater, Ryan; Yates, Max

2009-01-01

The Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle is America s next generation of human rated spacecraft. The Orion Launch Abort System will take the astronauts away from the exploration vehicle in the event of an aborted launch. The pad abort mode of the Launch Abort System will be flight-tested in 2009 from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This paper examines some of the efforts currently underway at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center by the Controls & Dynamics group in preparation for the flight test. The concept of operation for the pad abort flight is presented along with an overview of the guidance, control and navigation systems. Preparations for the flight test, such as hardware testing and development of the real-time displays, are examined. The results from the validation and verification efforts for the aerodynamic and atmospheric models are shown along with Monte Carlo analysis results.

Orion Pad Abort 1 GN and C Design and Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Medina, Edgar A.; Stachowiak, Susan J.

2010-01-01

The first flight test of the Orion Abort Flight Test project is scheduled to launch in Spring 2010. This flight test is known as Pad Abort 1 (PA-1) and it is intended to accomplish a series of flight test objectives, including demonstrating the capability of the Launch Abort System (LAS) to propel the Crew Module (CM) to a safe distance from a launch vehicle during a pad abort. The PA-1 Flight Test Article (FTA) is actively controlled by a guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) system for much of its flight. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design, development, and analysis of the PA-1 GN&C system. A description of the technical solutions that were developed to meet the challenge of satisfying many competing requirements is presented. A historical perspective of how the Orion LAV compares to the Apollo Launch Escape Vehicle (LEV) design will also be included.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transportation (CT) number 2 shows the new muffler system on the vehicle. The CT also recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transportation (CT) number 2 shows the new muffler system on the vehicle. The CT also recently underwent modifications to the cab. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP). The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KSC-2011-6162

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench remains at Launch Pad 39B after the pad's deconstruction. The trench is 450 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep with an inner inverted V-shaped steel flame deflector. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6161

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench remains at Launch Pad 39B after the pad's deconstruction. The trench is 450 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep with an inner inverted V-shaped steel flame deflector. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

ATLANTIS ROLLS OUT TO PAD 39A FOLLOWING HURRICANE FRAN THREAT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

The Space Shuttle Atlantis completes the trip to Launch Pad 39A from the Vehicle Assembly Building for the third time in the STS- 79 mission flow. The Shuttle was rolled back from the pad in July due to the threat from Hurricane Bertha, then rolled back again earlier this week because of Hurricane Fran. The targeted launch date for Atlantis on Mission STS-79 -- the fourth docking between the U.S. Shuttle and Russian Space Station Mir -- is now Sept. 16 at 4:54 a.m. EDT. The three rollout dates for Atlantis to Pad 39A are: July 1, Aug. 20 and Sept. 5.

Suspension Parameter Measurements of Wheeled Military Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

suspension through the wheel pads. The SPIdER was designed so that in the future, with a modest amount of modification , it can be upgraded to include the...AND MOBILITY (P&M) MINI-SYMPOSIUM AUGUST 14-16, MICHIGAN SUSPENSION PARAMETER MEASUREMENTS OF WHEELED MILITARY VEHICLES Dale Andreatta Gary...was built to measure the suspension parameters of any military wheeled vehicle. This is part of an ongoing effort to model and predict vehicle

Constructing lightning towers for the Constellation Program and

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-09

On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the crane crawler puts a piling into place to be pounded into the ground to help construct lightning towers for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Constructing lightning towers for the Constellation Program and

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-09

On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the crane crawler lifts a piling into place to be pounded into the ground to help construct lightning towers for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Apollo 16 liftoff

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The huge, 363-feet tall Apollo 16 (Spacecraft 113/Lunar Module 11/Saturn 511) space vehicle is launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, at 12:54:00.569 p.m., April 16, 1972. The launch is framed on the left by a large piece of dead wood in a body of water near the launch pad.

KSC ice/frost/debris assessment for Space Shuttle Mission STS-30R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

An ice/frost/debris assessment was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-30R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by an on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage. The ice/frost/debris conditions of Mission STS-30R and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program is documented.

View of Apollo 15 space vehicle leaving VAB to Pad A, Launch Complex 39

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-05-11

S71-33786 (11 May 1971) --- The 363-feet tall Apollo (Spacecraft 112/Lunar Module 10/Saturn 510) space vehicle which leaves the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The Saturn V stack and its mobile launch tower are atop a huge crawler-transporter. Apollo 15 is scheduled as the fourth manned lunar landing mission by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and is scheduled to lift off on July 26, 1971. The crew men will be astronauts David R. Scott, commander; Alfred M. Worden, command module pilot; and James B. Irwin, lunar module pilot. While astronaut Scott and Irwin will descend in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon, astronaut Worden will remain with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit.

SKYLAB (SL)-III - LAUNCH - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-08-17

S73-32570 (28 July 1973) --- The Skylab 3/Saturn 1B space vehicle is launched from Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 7:11 a.m. (EDT), Saturday, July 28, 1973. Skylab 3 is the second of three scheduled Skylab manned missions. Aboard the Skylab 3 Command/Service Module were astronauts Alan L. Bean, Owen K. Garriott and Jack R. Lousma. The Skylab 3 CSM later docked with the Skylab space station cluster in Earth orbit. In addition to the CSM and its launch escape system, the Skylab 3 space vehicle consisted of the Saturn 1B first (S-1B) stage and the Saturn 1B second (S-1VB) stage. (The Skylab 1/Saturn V space vehicle with the space station payload was launched from Pad A on May 14, 1973). Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2009-2724

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Just before dawn, space shuttle Endeavour is bathed in xenon lights after being secured on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion on rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:57 p.m. EDT April 16. Surrounding the pad are the new lightning towers erected for NASA's Constellation Program, which will use the pad for Ares rocket launches. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Advanced Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-02-15

Shown is a concept illustration of the Ares I crew launch vehicle during launch and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle on the launch pad. Ares I will carry the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle with an astronaut crew to Earth orbit. Ares V will deliver large-scale hardware to space. This includes the Altair Lunar Lander, materials for establishing an outpost on the moon, and the vehicles and hardware needed to extend a human presence beyond Earth orbit.

KSC-04PD-2447

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a simulated launch countdown/emergency simulation on Launch Pad 39A, the rescue team helps astronaut-suited workers climb into an M-113 armored personnel carrier for transport away from the pad. The four-hour exercise simulated normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. It tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

KSC-04PD-2445

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a simulated launch countdown/emergency simulation on Launch Pad 39A, the rescue team carries injured astronaut-suited workers into an M-113 armored personnel carrier for transport away from the pad. The four-hour exercise simulated normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. It tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

Performance Analysis and Design Synthesis (PADS) computer program. Volume 3: User manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The two-fold purpose of the Performance Analysis and Design Synthesis (PADS) computer program is discussed. The program can size launch vehicles in conjunction with calculus-of-variations optimal trajectories and can also be used as a general purpose branched trajectory optimization program. For trajectory optimization alone or with sizing, PADS has two trajectory modules. The first trajectory module uses the method of steepest descent. The second module uses the method of quasi-linearization, which requires a starting solution from the first trajectory module.

Pre-flight views of orbiter Endeavour on way to launch pad for STS-77

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-05-01

S96-07957 (16 April 1996) --- A road sign points to Launch Pad 39B, the final earthly destination for the Space Shuttle Endeavour and its final stepping stone into space. Endeavour began the slow journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at about 10:00a.m., April 16, 1996, perched atop the Mobile Launcher Platform and carried by the Crawler-Transporter. Upcoming activities at the pad to prepare Endeavour for flight on STS-77 include installation of the payloads in the Orbiter?s payload bay.

KSC-2011-6165

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the water tower and lightning protection system, consisting of three 600-foot-tall lightning towers, remain at Launch Pad 39B after the pad's deconstruction. Each lightning tower is 500 feet tall and topped off with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast which supports a wire catenary system. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Constructing lightning towers for the Constellation Program and

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-11-09

On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the crane crawler lifts a piling off a truck. The piling will be pounded into the ground to help construct lightning towers for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

STS-30 Atlantis, OV-104, at KSC LC Pad 39B atop mobile launcher platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-30 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, arrives at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B atop mobile launcher platform. The fixed service structure (FSS) towers above OV-104, its external tank (ET), and its solid rocket boosters (SRBs). The rotating service structure (RSS) is retracted. The launch tower catwalks are also retracted.

A Breakthrough for Josh: How Use of an iPad Facilitated Reading Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClanahan, Barbara; Williams, Kristen; Kennedy, Ed; Tate, Susan

2012-01-01

As part of a diagnosis and tutoring project in an elementary education reading course, a pre-service teacher was encouraged to use an iPad as the vehicle for intervention strategies with a fifth grade struggling reader with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The device not only helped the student focus attention, it facilitated his becoming…

Searchlights Illuminate Apollo 8 on Pad 39-A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

Searchlights penetrate the darkness surrounding Apollo 8 on Pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center. This mission was the first manned flight using the Saturn V. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Magnetically-Guided Penetrant Applicator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molina, Orlando G.

1990-01-01

Small wheeled vehicle moved inside nonmagnetic enclosure. Miniature magnetically guided truck uses foam-rubber sponge pads to apply penetrant fluid for inspection of welds in hidden surfaces of nonmagnetic tubes. Risk of explosion less than if electric motor used to drive vehicle. Inexpensive to make and made in range of sizes.

CRAWLER HIDDEN UNDER MOBILE LAUNCHER MOVES APOLLO 17 FROM VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING AS TRIP TO LAUNC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The Apollo 17 space vehicle was moved today from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Complex 39's pad A in preparation for its launch with Astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Commander; Ronald A. Evans, Command Module Pilot; and Dr. Harrison H. ''Jack'' Schmitt, Lunar Module Pilot, on the sixth U.S. manned lunar landing mission on December 6, 1972.

Ares I and Ares V concept illustrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

Shown is a concept illustration of the Ares I crew launch vehicle during launch and the Ares V cargo launch vehicle on the launch pad. Ares I will carry the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle with an astronaut crew to Earth orbit. Ares V will deliver large-scale hardware to space. This includes the Altair Lunar Lander, materials for establishing an outpost on the moon, and the vehicles and hardware needed to extend a human presence beyond Earth orbit.

KSC-2009-2725

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Just before dawn, space shuttle Endeavour is bathed in xenon lights after being secured on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion on rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:57 p.m. EDT April 16. On either side of the pad are two of the new lightning towers erected for NASA's Constellation Program, which will use the pad for Ares rocket launches. Endeavour will be prepared on the pad for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary following space shuttle Atlantis' launch on the STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. After Atlantis is cleared to land, Endeavour will move to Launch Pad 39A for its upcoming STS-127 mission to the International Space Station, targeted to launch June 13. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

GSDO Crawler Tread Removal

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a portion of the treads on the C truck of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2, have been removed from the vehicle. The treads are being removed in order to gain access to remove the gear boxes. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-33R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-33R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-33R, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for shuttle mission STS-31R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-31R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-31R, is presented along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-81

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-81. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-81 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-83

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Jill D.; Katnik, Gregory N.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-83. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-83 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-71

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-71. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-71 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-102

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Kelly, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-102. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch were analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or inflight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice /thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-102 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-94

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-94. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-94 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-79

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-79. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-79 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-73

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-73. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-73 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-38

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for the Space Shuttle Mission STS-38. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-38, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-50

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley; Katnik, Gregory N.

1992-01-01

Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-50. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-50, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-49

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-49. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-49, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are discussed.

KSC-06pd1335

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1332

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Bird detection radar is set up near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-06pd1333

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians set up bird detection radar near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-06pd1334

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1336

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Radar technicians adjust two bird detection radars near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-06pd1331

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Bird detection radar is delivered near Launch Pad 39B before the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Gianni Woods

KSC-99pp0432

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-04-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Reflected in the turn basin at Launch Complex 39 Area, the Space Shuttle Discovery stands atop the crawler-transporter, which carries its cargo at 1 mph to Launch Pad 39B. The vehicle takes about five hours to cover the journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. Liftoff of Discovery on mission STS-96 is targeted for May 20 at 9:32 a.m. EDT. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-led experiment

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-48

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-48. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-48 are documented, along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-37

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1991-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-37. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or inflight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-37 are documented, along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-77

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, GregoryN.; Lin, Jill D. (Compiler)

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-77. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-77 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-70

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-70. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-70 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-51

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-51. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-51 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-55

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-55. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-55, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-36

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS (Thermal Protection System) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-36. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-36, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) Trek from Pad 39B to VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-21

Crawler-transport 2 (CT-2) moves slowly along the crawlerway on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crawler took a trip to the pad A/B split to test upgrades recently completed that will allow the giant vehicle to handle the load of the agency's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program oversaw upgrades to the 50-year-old CT-2. New generators, gear assemblies, jacking, equalizing and leveling (JEL) hydraulic cylinders, roller bearings and brakes were installed, and other components were upgraded to prepare for Exploration Mission 1.

Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) Trek from Pad 39B to VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-21

Crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) moves slowly along the crawlerway on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crawler took a trip to the Pad A/B split to test upgrades recently completed that will allow the giant vehicle to handle the load of the agency's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program oversaw upgrades to the 50-year-old CT-2. New generators, gear assemblies, jacking, equalizing and leveling (JEL) hydraulic cylinders, roller bearings and brakes were installed, and other components were upgraded to prepare for Exploration Mission 1.

Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) Trek from Pad 39B to VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-21

Crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) moves slowly along the crawlerway toward the Vehicle Assembly Building (in the background) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crawler took a trip to the Pad A/B split to test upgrades recently completed that will allow the giant vehicle to handle the load of the agency's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program oversaw upgrades to the 50-year-old CT-2. New generators, gear assemblies, jacking, equalizing and leveling (JEL) hydraulic cylinders, roller bearings and brakes were installed, and other components were upgraded to prepare for Exploration Mission 1.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-69

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-69. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system condition and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-69 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-42

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS (Thermal Protection System) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-42. Debris inspection of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flighr anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions are documented along with photographic analysis of Mission STS-42, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-52

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-47. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-52, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-106

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Kelley, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-106. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-106 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-34

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-34. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-34, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Photographic Analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-41

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1990-01-01

A Debris/Ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-41. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Documented here are the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-41, and their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-76

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-76. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-76 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-53

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-53. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-53, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-54

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1993-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-54. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-54, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-61

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-61. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-61, and the resulting effect on the space shuttle program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-72

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-72. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-72 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle mission STS-58

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, J. Bradley; Rivera, Jorge E.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Speece, Robert F.; Rosado, Pedro J.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-58. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The ice/debris/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-58, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program are documented.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis for Shuttle mission STS-47

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, J. Bradley

1992-01-01

A debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-47. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/TPS conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-47, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Project Mercury - Monument

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-11-11

S66-59963 (9 Nov. 1966) --- Monument at Pad 14 honoring Project Mercury. The Arabic number seven represents the seven original astronauts. The other figure is the astronomical symbol of the Planet Mercury. In background is the Gemini-12 Agena Target Docking Vehicle atop its Atlas launch vehicle at Cape Kennedy, Florida. Photo credit: NASA

New Horizons Mission to Pluto

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Luis G.

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the trajectory that will take the New Horizons Mission to Pluto. Included are photographs of the spacecraft, the launch vehicle, the assembled vehicle as it is being moved to the launch pad and the launch. Also shown are diagrams of the assembled parts with identifying part names.

Launch Pad in a Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantovani, J. G.; Tamasy, G. J.; Mueller, R. P.; Townsend, I. I.; Sampson, J. W.; Lane, M. A.

2016-01-01

NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is developing a new deployable launch system capability to support a small class of launch vehicles for NASA and commercial space companies to test and launch their vehicles. The deployable launch pad concept was first demonstrated on a smaller scale at KSC in 2012 in support of NASA Johnson Space Center's Morpheus Lander Project. The main objective of the Morpheus Project was to test a prototype planetary lander as a vertical takeoff and landing test-bed for advanced spacecraft technologies using a hazard field that KSC had constructed at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). A steel pad for launch or landing was constructed using a modular design that allowed it to be reconfigurable and expandable. A steel flame trench was designed as an optional module that could be easily inserted in place of any modular steel plate component. The concept of a transportable modular launch and landing pad may also be applicable to planetary surfaces where the effects of rocket exhaust plume on surface regolith is problematic for hardware on the surface that may either be damaged by direct impact of high speed dust particles, or impaired by the accumulation of dust (e.g., solar array panels and thermal radiators). During the Morpheus free flight campaign in 2013-14, KSC performed two studies related to rocket plume effects. One study compared four different thermal ablatives that were applied to the interior of a steel flame trench that KSC had designed and built. The second study monitored the erosion of a concrete landing pad following each landing of the Morpheus vehicle on the same pad located in the hazard field. All surfaces of a portable flame trench that could be directly exposed to hot gas during launch of the Morpheus vehicle were coated with four types of ablatives. All ablative products had been tested by NASA KSC and/or the manufacturer. The ablative thicknesses were measured periodically following the twelve Morpheus free flight tests. The thermal energy from the Morpheus rocket exhaust plume was only found to be sufficient to cause appreciable ablation of one of the four ablatives that were tested. The rocket exhaust plume did cause spalling of concrete during each descent and landing on a landing pad in the hazard field. The Extended Abstract ASE Earth and Space Conference April, 2016 - Orlando, FL concrete surface was laser scanned following each Morpheus landing, and the total volume of spalled concrete that eroded between the first and final landings of the Morpheus Project's test campaign was estimated. This paper will also describe a new deployable launch system (DLS) capability that is being developed at KSC and was publicly announced in May 2015 (KSC Partnerships, 2015). The DLS is a set of multi-user Ground Support Equipment that will be used to test and launch small class launch vehicles. The system is comprised of four main elements: the Launch Stand, the Flame Deflector, the Pad Apron and the KAMAG transporter. The system elements are designed to be deployed at launch or test sites within the KSC/CCAFS boundaries. The DLS is intended to be used together with the Fluid and Electrical System of the Universal Propellant Servicing Systems and Mobile Power Data and Communications Unit.

Launch Pad in a Box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mantovani, James; Tamasy, Gabor; Mueller, Rob; Townsend, Van; Sampson, Jeff; Lane, Mike

2016-01-01

NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is developing a new deployable launch system capability to support a small class of launch vehicles for NASA and commercial space companies to test and launch their vehicles. The deployable launch pad concept was first demonstrated on a smaller scale at KSC in 2012 in support of NASA Johnson Space Center's Morpheus Lander Project. The main objective of the Morpheus Project was to test a prototype planetary lander as a vertical takeoff and landing test-bed for advanced spacecraft technologies using a hazard field that KSC had constructed at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF). A steel pad for launch or landing was constructed using a modular design that allowed it to be reconfigurable and expandable. A steel flame trench was designed as an optional module that could be easily inserted in place of any modular steel plate component. The concept of a transportable modular launch and landing pad may also be applicable to planetary surfaces where the effects of rocket exhaust plume on surface regolith is problematic for hardware on the surface that may either be damaged by direct impact of high speed dust particles, or impaired by the accumulation of dust (e.g., solar array panels and thermal radiators). During the Morpheus free flight campaign in 2013-14, KSC performed two studies related to rocket plume effects. One study compared four different thermal ablatives that were applied to the interior of a steel flame trench that KSC had designed and built. The second study monitored the erosion of a concrete landing pad following each landing of the Morpheus vehicle on the same pad located in the hazard field. All surfaces of a portable flame trench that could be directly exposed to hot gas during launch of the Morpheus vehicle were coated with four types of ablatives. All ablative products had been tested by NASA KSC and/or the manufacturer. The ablative thicknesses were measured periodically following the twelve Morpheus free flight tests. The thermal energy from the Morpheus rocket exhaust plume was only found to be sufficient to cause appreciable ablation of one of the four ablatives that were tested. The rocket exhaust plume did cause spalling of concrete during each descent and landing on a landing pad in the hazard field. The Extended Abstract ASE Earth and Space Conference April, 2016 - Orlando, FL concrete surface was laser scanned following each Morpheus landing, and the total volume of spalled concrete that eroded between the first and final landings of the Morpheus Project's test campaign was estimated. This paper will also describe a new deployable launch system (DLS) capability that is being developed at KSC and was publicly announced in May 2015 (KSC Partnerships, 2015). The DLS is a set of multi-user Ground Support Equipment that will be used to test and launch small class launch vehicles. The system is comprised of four main elements: the Launch Stand, the Flame Deflector, the Pad Apron and the KAMAG transporter. The system elements are designed to be deployed at launch or test sites within the KSC/CCAFS boundaries. The DLS is intended to be used together with the Fluid and Electrical System of the Universal Propellant Servicing Systems and Mobile Power Data and Communications Unit

Expedition 23 preflight

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-03-31

The launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is illuminated at sunrise in the Central Asian desert as it awaits the arrival of the Soyuz TMA-18 vehicle March 31, 2010 which was transported from its assembly hangar to the pad by railcar at dawn. Expedition 23 crewmates Alexander Skvortsov, Mikhail Kornienko and Tracy Caldwell Dyson will launch from Baikonur April 2 en route to the International Space Station.

Large Crawler Crane for new lightning protection system

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-25

A large crawler crane traveling long one of the crawlerway tracks makes the turn toward Launch Pad 39B. The crane with its 70-foot boom will be used to construct a new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Large Crawler Crane for new lightning protection system

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-25

A large crawler crane travels along one of the crawlerway tracks on its way to Launch Pad 39B. The crane with its 70-foot boom will be used to construct a new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Aerothermodynamic Testing of Protuberances and Penetrations on the NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle Heat Shield in the NASA Langley 20-Inch Mach 6 Air Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Derek S.

2008-01-01

An experimental wind tunnel program is being conducted in support of an Agency wide effort to develop a replacement for the Space Shuttle and to support the NASA s long-term objective of returning to the moon and then on to Mars. This paper documents experimental measurements made on several scaled ceramic heat transfer models of the proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle. Global heat transfer images and heat transfer distributions obtained using phosphor thermography were used to infer interference heating on the Crew Exploration Vehicle Cycle 1 heat shield from local protuberances and penetrations for both laminar and turbulent heating conditions. Test parametrics included free stream Reynolds numbers of 1.0x10(exp 6)/ft to 7.25x10(exp 6)/ft in Mach 6 air at a fixed angle-of-attack. Single arrays of discrete boundary layer trips were used to trip the boundary layer approaching the protuberances/penetrations to a turbulent state. Also, the effects of three compression pad diameters, two radial locations of compression pad/tension tie location, compression pad geometry, and rotational position of compression pad/tension tie were examined. The experimental data highlighted in this paper are to be used to validate CFD tools that will be used to generate the flight aerothermodynamic database. Heat transfer measurements will also assist in the determination of the most appropriate engineering methods that will be used to assess local flight environments associated with protuberances/penetrations of the CEV thermal protection system.

Saturn 5 Launch Vehicle Flight Evaluation Report, SA-513, Skylab 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Saturn V SA-513 (Skylab-1) was launched at 13:30:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 14, 1973, from Kennedy Space Center, Complex 39, Pad A. The vehicle lifted off on a launch azimuth of 90 degrees east of north and rolled to a flight azimuth of 40.88 degrees east of north. The launch vehicle successfully placed the Saturn Work Shop in the planned earth orbit. All launch vehicle objectives were accomplished. No launch vehicle failures or anomalies occurred that seriously affected the mission.

KSC-2011-4303

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-06-06

Cape Canaveral, Fla. -- Workers using a large crane dismantle the final sections of the rotating service structure on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A dragonfly passing across the camera lens (center) pays no attention to the pad's deconstruction in progress. In 2009, the pad was no longer needed for the shuttle program, so it is being restructured for future use. Its new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, which was in place for the October 2009 launch of Ares I-X, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4758

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay large wooden mats on top of sand and reinforcing steel to protect the concrete under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B during deconstruction. In the background, space shuttle Discovery stands tall on Launch Pad 39A, awaiting its STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. Starting in 2009, the structure at Pad B was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-1943

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane lowers the 80-foot lightning mast removed from the top of the fixed service structure (left) onto the pad surface. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

KSC-2009-1945

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 80-foot lightning mast removed from the top of the fixed service structure (behind it) is lowered onto the pad surface. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

KSC-2009-1947

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 80-foot lightning mast removed from the top of the fixed service structure (left) rests on the pad surface. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

KSC-2009-1946

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 80-foot lightning mast removed from the top of the fixed service structure (center) rests on the pad surface. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

STS-45 Atlantis, OV-104, lifts off from KSC Launch Complex (LC) Pad

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-03-24

STS-45 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, lifts off from a Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad at 8:13:40:048 am (Eastern Standard Time (EST)). Exhaust billows out the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) as OV-104 atop its external tank (ET) soars above the mobile launcher platform and is nearly clear of the fixed service structure (FSS) tower. The diamond shock effect produced by the space shuttle main engines (SSMEs) is visible. The glow of the SRB/SSME firings is reflected in a nearby waterway. An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area.

KSC-2010-4785

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, caps from the fuel tanks that serviced the shuttle's external fuel tank are seen in this image above the flame trench during deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B. Starting in 2009, the structure at Pad B was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Rare view of two space shuttles on adjacent KSC Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Rare view shows two space shuttles on adjacent Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads with the Rotating Service Structures (RSS) retracted. STS-35 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, is on Pad A (foreground) is being readied for a September 6 early morning launch, while its sister spaceship, Discovery, OV-103, is set to begin preparations for an October liftoff on Mission STS-41. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-90PC-1269. Also see S90-48650 for similar view with alternate KSC number KSC-90PC-1268.

Rare view of two space shuttles on adjacent KSC Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Rare view shows two space shuttles on adjacent Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) 39 pads with the Rotating Service Structures (RSS) retracted. STS-35 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, is on Pad A (foreground) and being readied for a September 6 early morning launch, while its sister spaceship, Discovery, OV-103, is prepared for an October liftoff on Mission STS-41. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-90PC-1268. Also see S90-48904 for a similar view with alternate KSC number KSC-90PC-1269.

KSC-2011-6978

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. Still remaining are remnants of the fixed service structure and the water tower used for sound suppression. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd2593

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-09-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister containing the Italian-built U.S. Node 2 module, called Harmony, begins taking its cargo to Launch Pad 39A. At the pad, the canister will be lifted to the payload changeout room and the module transferred inside. The payload will be installed in space shuttle Discovery's payload bay after the vehicle rolls out to the pad. Discovery is targeted for launch to the International Space Station for mission STS-120 on Oct. 23. The pressurized module will act as an internal connecting port and passageway to additional international science labs and cargo spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-2010-4635

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4636

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4759

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay large wooden mats on top of sand and reinforcing steel to protect the concrete under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at Pad B was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4634

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction crews lay sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats under the rotating service structure (RSS) of Launch Pad 39B to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-1300

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A giant crane is used to add additional segments to the new lightning towers on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three new lightning towers on the pad will be 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery rollout to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Perched on the Mobile Launch Platform, in the early morning hours Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 6-hour, 4.2-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-2009-3127

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This photo taken from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida shows one of two lightning strikes that occurred on May 11 around 11 p.m. within a third of a mile of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B. Engineers and safety personnel evaluated data and performed a walkdown of the pad and determined there is no damage to the vehicle or the pad. The images are from Kennedy's Operational Television cameras which can be used to triangulate the location of lightning strikes. Other detection systems include the Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Surveillance System, Strikenet/National Lightning Detection Network, Lightning Induced Voltage Instrumentation System and the Catenary Wire Lightning Instrumentation System. Endeavour is standing by on the pad, prepared for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2011-6091

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cleanup of Launch Pad 39B is in progress beside the pad's flame trench. The trench is 450 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep with an inner inverted V-shaped steel flame deflector. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were placed over the pad's concrete surfaces during deconstruction to protect them from falling debris. In the distance is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of rockets and spacecraft. The lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6088

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cleanup of Launch Pad 39B is in progress beside the pad's flame trench. The trench is 450 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep with an inner inverted V-shaped steel flame deflector. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were placed over the pad's concrete surfaces during deconstruction to protect them from falling debris. In the distance is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of rockets and spacecraft. The lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2011-6089

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cleanup of Launch Pad 39B is in progress beside the pad's flame trench. The trench is 450 feet long, 58 feet wide and 42 feet deep with an inner inverted V-shaped steel flame deflector. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were placed over the pad's concrete surfaces during deconstruction to protect them from falling debris. In the distance is the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of rockets and spacecraft. The lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

49 CFR 173.33 - Hazardous materials in cargo tank motor vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... cryogenic liquids, the pressure prescribed in § 173.315 of this subchapter. (ii) For cryogenic liquids, the pressure prescribed in § 173.318 of this subchapter. (iii) For liquid hazardous materials loaded in DOT... vehicle used to transport a liquid hazardous material with a gas pad must have a pressure relief system...

49 CFR 173.33 - Hazardous materials in cargo tank motor vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... cryogenic liquids, the pressure prescribed in § 173.315 of this subchapter. (ii) For cryogenic liquids, the pressure prescribed in § 173.318 of this subchapter. (iii) For liquid hazardous materials loaded in DOT... vehicle used to transport a liquid hazardous material with a gas pad must have a pressure relief system...

Prelaunch - Apollo VII (Erection of First Stage) - KSC

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-04-15

S68-29781 (22 April 1968) --- Low angle view at the Kennedy Space Center's Pad 34 showing the erection of the first stage of the Saturn 205 launch vehicle. The two-stage Saturn IB will be the launch vehicle for the first unmanned Apollo space mission, Apollo 7 (Spacecraft 101/Saturn 205).

Crew Exploration Vehicle Launch Abort System Flight Test Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams-Hayes, Peggy S.

2007-01-01

The Constellation program is an organization within NASA whose mission is to create the new generation of spacecraft that will replace the Space Shuttle after its planned retirement in 2010. In the event of a catastrophic failure on the launch pad or launch vehicle during ascent, the successful use of the launch abort system will allow crew members to escape harm. The Flight Test Office is the organization within the Constellation project that will flight-test the launch abort system on the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The Flight Test Office has proposed six tests that will demonstrate the use of the launch abort system. These flight tests will be performed at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and are similar in nature to the Apollo Little Joe II tests performed in the 1960s. An overview of the launch abort system flight tests for the Orion crew exploration vehicle is given. Details on the configuration of the first pad abort flight test are discussed. Sample flight trajectories for two of the six flight tests are shown.

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

This wide lux image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station shows the base of the launch pad as well as the orbiter just clearing the gantry. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 nears the launch pad with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top. After recent modifications to the cab and muffler system, the CT was taken on a test run. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 nears the launch pad with a Mobile Launcher Platform (MLP) on top. After recent modifications to the cab and muffler system, the CT was taken on a test run. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab, at left, that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab, at left, that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab (left, above the tracks) that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A closeup of crawler-transporter (CT) number 2 shows the cab (left, above the tracks) that recently underwent modifications. The CT is transporting a Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) on a test run to the pad. The CT moves Space Shuttle vehicles, situated on the MLP, between the VAB and launch pad. Moving on four double-tracked crawlers, the CT uses a laser guidance system and a leveling system for the journey that keeps the top of a Space Shuttle vertical within plus- or minus-10 minutes of arc. The system enables the CT-MLP-Shuttle to negotiate the ramp leading to the launch pads and keep the load level. Unloaded, the CT weighs 6 million pounds. Seen on top of the MLP are two tail service masts that support the fluid, gas and electrical requirements of the orbiter’s liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen aft umbilicals.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for shuttle mission STS-35

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.; Davis, James Bradley

1991-01-01

A debris/ice/Thermal Protection System (TPS) assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-35. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after the launch. Ice/frost conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, monographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography was analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. Documented here are the debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-35, and the overall effect of these conditions on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-103

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-103. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-103 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-91

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-91. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-91 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-93

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-93. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis findings of Space Shuttle mission STS-93 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-95. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-95 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-90

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-90. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system-conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-90 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-80

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-80. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission Space Transportation System (STS-80) and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-89

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-89. Debris inspections of the flight element and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection systems conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-89 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-112

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2002-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-112. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-112 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-74

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Lin, Jill D.

1996-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system (TPS) assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-74. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-74 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-87

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1998-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-87. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the-use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-87 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/tps Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-96

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-96. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-96 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-101

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-101. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-101 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-88

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

1999-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-88. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-88 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis for Shuttle Mission STS-28R

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Charles G.; Katnik, Gregory N.; Higginbotham, Scott A.

1989-01-01

A Debris/Ice/TPS assessment and photographic analysis was conducted for Space Shuttle Mission STS-28R. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad are performed before and after launch. Ice/Frost conditions on the External Tank are assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography is analyzed after launch to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The debris/ice/TPS conditions and photographic analysis of Mission STS-28R is documented along with their overall effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-64 on 9 August 1994

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, J. Bradley; Bowen, Barry C.; Rivera, Jorge E.; Speece, Robert F.; Katnik, Gregory N.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-64. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-64, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-68

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley; Speece, Robert F.

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-68. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report-documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-68, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-111

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2005-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-111. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-111 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-99

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-99. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-99 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-98

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Speece, Robert F.

2004-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle Mission STS-98. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-98 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-63

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-63. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, monographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-63, and the resulting effect on the space shuttle program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-66

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1995-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-66. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer program nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle mission STS-66, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

KSC-06pd1337

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Two bird detection radars have been set up near Launch Pad 39B to get ready for the July 1 launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-121. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-97

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rivera, Jorge E.; Kelly, J. David (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-97. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch were analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris /ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-97 and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-86

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Lin, Jill D.

1997-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-86. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-86 and the resulting affect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) Trek from Pad 39B to VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-21

A full view of crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) as it moves slowly along the crawlerway on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crawler took a trip to the Pad A/B split to test upgrades recently completed that will allow the giant vehicle to handle the load of the agency's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program oversaw upgrades to the 50-year-old CT-2. New generators, gear assemblies, jacking, equalizing and leveling (JEL) hydraulic cylinders, roller bearings and brakes were installed, and other components were upgraded to prepare for Exploration Mission 1.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-100

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliu, Armando

2004-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-100. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. The report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-100 and the resulting effect of the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/Ice/TPS Assessment and Integrated Photographic Analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-92

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.

2000-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for Shuttle mission STS-92. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the External Tank were assessed by the use of computer programs and infrared scanned data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle, followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the debris/ice/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of Space Shuttle mission STS-92 and the resulting effect, if any, on the Space Shuttle Program.

Debris/ice/TPS assessment and integrated photographic analysis of Shuttle Mission STS-65

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Katnik, Gregory N.; Bowen, Barry C.; Davis, J. Bradley

1994-01-01

A debris/ice/thermal protection system assessment and integrated photographic analysis was conducted for shuttle mission STS-65. Debris inspections of the flight elements and launch pad were performed before and after launch. Icing conditions on the external tank were assessed by the use of computer programs, nomographs, and infrared scanner data during cryogenic loading of the vehicle followed by on-pad visual inspection. High speed photography of the launch was analyzed to identify ice/debris sources and evaluate potential vehicle damage and/or in-flight anomalies. This report documents the ice/debris/thermal protection system conditions and integrated photographic analysis of shuttle mission STS-65, and the resulting effect on the Space Shuttle Program.

Hybrid Wing Body Planform Design with Vehicle Sketch Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, Douglas P.; Olson, Erik D.

2011-01-01

The objective of this paper was to provide an update on NASA s current tools for design and analysis of hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft with an emphasis on Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP). NASA started HWB analysis using the Flight Optimization System (FLOPS). That capability is enhanced using Phoenix Integration's ModelCenter(Registered TradeMark). Model Center enables multifidelity analysis tools to be linked as an integrated structure. Two major components are linked to FLOPS as an example; a planform discretization tool and VSP. The planform discretization tool ensures the planform is smooth and continuous. VSP is used to display the output geometry. This example shows that a smooth & continuous HWB planform can be displayed as a three-dimensional model and rapidly sized and analyzed.

KSC-08pd1101

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a crawler transporter moves space shuttle Discovery, secured atop a mobile launch platform, along the crawlerway from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A to prepare for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd1102

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, space shuttle Discovery, secured atop a mobile launch platform, is reflected in water beside the crawlerway as it is moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A to prepare for the STS-124 mission. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1944

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers attach more cables to the 80-foot lightning mast removed from the top of the fixed service structure. The mast will be lowered to horizontal for transport from the pad. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

Vibro-Acoustic Analysis of NASA's Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A Flame Trench Wall

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margasahayam, Ravi N.

2009-01-01

A vital element to NASA's manned space flight launch operations is the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39's launch pads A and B. Originally designed and constructed In the 1960s for the Saturn V rockets used for the Apollo missions, these pads were modified above grade to support Space Shuttle missions. But below grade, each of the pad's original walls (including a 42 feet deep, 58 feet wide, and 450 feet long tunnel designed to deflect flames and exhaust gases, the flame trench) remained unchanged. On May 31, 2008 during the launch of STS-124, over 3500 of the. 22000 interlocking refractory bricks that lined east wall of the flame trench, protecting the pad structure were liberated from pad 39A. The STS-124 launch anomaly spawned an agency-wide initiative to determine the failure root cause, to assess the impact of debris on vehicle and ground support equipment safety, and to prescribe corrective action. The investigation encompassed radar imaging, infrared video review, debris transport mechanism analysis using computational fluid dynamics, destructive testing, and non-destructive evaluation, including vibroacoustic analysis, in order to validate the corrective action. The primary focus of this paper is on the analytic approach, including static, modal, and vibro-acoustic analysis, required to certify the corrective action, and ensure Integrity and operational reliability for future launches. Due to the absence of instrumentation (including pressure transducers, acoustic pressure sensors, and accelerometers) in the flame trench, defining an accurate acoustic signature of the launch environment during shuttle main engine/solid rocket booster Ignition and vehicle ascent posed a significant challenge. Details of the analysis, including the derivation of launch environments, the finite element approach taken, and analysistest/ launch data correlation are discussed. Data obtained from the recent launch of STS-126 from Pad 39A was instrumental in validating the design analysis philosophies outlined in this paper.

A nonlinear and fractional derivative viscoelastic model for rail pads in the dynamic analysis of coupled vehicle-slab track systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Shengyang; Cai, Chengbiao; Spanos, Pol D.

2015-01-01

A nonlinear and fractional derivative viscoelastic (FDV) model is used to capture the complex behavior of rail pads. It is implemented into the dynamic analysis of coupled vehicle-slab track (CVST) systems. The vehicle is treated as a multi-body system with 10 degrees of freedom, and the slab track is represented by a three layer Bernoulli-Euler beam model. The model for the rail pads is one dimensional, and the force-displacement relation is based on a superposition of elastic, friction, and FDV forces. This model takes into account the influences of the excitation frequency and of the displacement amplitude through a fractional derivative element, and a nonlinear friction element, respectively. The Grünwald representation of the fractional derivatives is employed to numerically solve the fractional and nonlinear equations of motion of the CVST system by means of an explicit integration algorithm. A dynamic analysis of the CVST system exposed to excitations of rail harmonic irregularities is carried out, pointing out the stiffness and damping dependence on the excitation frequency and the displacement amplitude. The analysis indicates that the dynamic stiffness and damping of the rail pads increase with the excitation frequency while they decrease with the displacement amplitude. Furthermore, comparisons between the proposed model and ordinary Kelvin model adopted for the CVST system, under excitations of welded rail joint irregularities and of random track irregularities, are conducted in the time domain as well as in the frequency domain. The proposed model is shown to possess several modeling advantages over the ordinary Kelvin element which overestimates both the stiffness and damping features at high frequencies.

Human Factors Vehicle Displacement Analysis: Engineering In Motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atencio, Laura Ashley; Reynolds, David; Robertson, Clay

2010-01-01

While positioned on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, tall stacked launch vehicles are exposed to the natural environment. Varying directional winds and vortex shedding causes the vehicle to sway in an oscillating motion. The Human Factors team recognizes that vehicle sway may hinder ground crew operation, impact the ground system designs, and ultimately affect launch availability . The objective of this study is to physically simulate predicted oscillation envelopes identified by analysis. and conduct a Human Factors Analysis to assess the ability to carry out essential Upper Stage (US) ground operator tasks based on predicted vehicle motion.

KSC-2011-6973

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. Still remaining and standing over the remnants of the fixed service structure are the 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-6971

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. Still remaining and standing over the remnants of the fixed service structure are the 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-6977

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. Still remaining and standing over the remnants of the fixed service structure are the three 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-6975

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. Still remaining and standing over the remnants of the fixed service structure are the 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-04PD-2448

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. During a simulated launch countdown/emergency simulation on Launch Pad 39A, M-113 armored personnel carriers transport workers away from the pad. In the background are the Fixed (tall) and Rotating Service Structures. To the left is the water tower that holds 300,000 gallons used during liftoffs.The four-hour exercise simulated normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. It tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

Compression Pad Cavity Heating Augmentation on Orion Heat Shield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollis, Brian R.

2011-01-01

An experimental study has been conducted to assess the effects of compression pad cavities on the aeroheating environment of the Project Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle heat shield. Testing was conducted in Mach 6 and 10 perfect-gas wind tunnels to obtain heating measurements in and around the compression pads cavities using global phosphor thermography. Data were obtained over a wide range of Reynolds numbers that produced laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow within and downstream of the cavities. The effects of cavity dimensions on boundary-layer transition and heating augmentation levels were studied. Correlations were developed for transition onset and for the average cavity-heating augmentation.

KSC-2013-3622

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the crawler track panels have been removed and construction workers continue to repair the concrete on the surface of the pad. The flame trench deflector that was located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks has been removed. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2009-1299

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Progress is being made on construction of the new lightning towers on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. New sections are being added with the help of a giant crane. Three new lightning towers on the pad will be 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-4175

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-11-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, all of the old crawler track panels have been removed from the surface and construction workers are repairing the concrete surface and catacomb roof below. At far left is the recently-constructed pad elevator. Launch Pad 39B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program office at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-02-06

Apollo 6, the second and last of the unmarned Saturn V test flights, is slowly transported past the Vehicle Assembly Building on the way to launch pad 39-A. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

KSC-08pd4106

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-12-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, one of the new lightning towers is under construction. The towers will hold catenary wires as part of the new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

KSC-08pd3308

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The payload canister containing the payload for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 mission is transported to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Behind the canister, at left, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the pad, the payload canister will release its cargo into the Payload Changeout Room. Later, the payload will be installed in Endeavour's payload bay. Endeavour is targeted for launch on Nov. 14. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Large Crawler Crane for new lightning protection system

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-25

A large crawler crane arrives at the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area on NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The crane with its 70-foot boom will be moved to Launch Pad 39B and used to construct a new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Lightning Characteristics and Lightning Strike Peak Current Probabilities as Related to Aerospace Vehicle Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dale L.; Vaughan, William W.

1998-01-01

A summary is presented of basic lightning characteristics/criteria for current and future NASA aerospace vehicles. The paper estimates the probability of occurrence of a 200 kA peak lightning return current, should lightning strike an aerospace vehicle in various operational phases, i.e., roll-out, on-pad, launch, reenter/land, and return-to-launch site. A literature search was conducted for previous work concerning occurrence and measurement of peak lighting currents, modeling, and estimating probabilities of launch vehicles/objects being struck by lightning. This paper presents these results.

TA-60-1 Heavy Equipment Shop Areas SWPPP Rev 2 Jan 2017-Final

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burgin, Jillian Elizabeth

The primary activities and equipment areas at the facility that are potential stormwater pollution sources include; The storage of vehicles and heavy equipment awaiting repair; or repaired vehicles waiting to be picked up; The storage and handling of oils, anti-freeze, solvents, degreasers, batteries and other chemicals for the maintenance of vehicles and heavy equipment; and Equipment cleaning operations including exterior vehicle wash-down. Steam cleaning is only done on the steam cleaning pad area located at the north east end of Building 60-0001.

Impact of Drift on the Vehicle Liftoff Acoustic Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Jeremy; Giacomoni, Clothilde

2016-01-01

As a launch vehicle lifts off the pad, depending on the flyaway maneuver, it will drift away from the exhaust hole causing the plume(s) to impinge on the launch deck. This impingement on the deck creates acoustic sources and causes the noise levels on the vehicle to increase. The percentage of the plume which impinges on the deck can be calculated and related to sound pressure levels. Using this information, a delta dB can be calculated if the drift or flyaway maneuver for a specific vehicle changes during a program

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-29

The Soyuz TM-31 launch vehicle, which carried the first resident crew to the International Space Station, moves toward the launch pad at the Baikonur complex in Kazakhstan. The Russian Soyuz launch vehicle is an expendable spacecraft that evolved out of the original Class A (Sputnik). From the early 1960' until today, the Soyuz launch vehicle has been the backbone of Russia's marned and unmanned space launch fleet. Today, the Soyuz launch vehicle is marketed internationally by a joint Russian/French consortium called STARSEM. As of August 2001, there have been ten Soyuz missions under the STARSEM banner.

Refurbishment cost study of the thermal protection system of a space shuttle vehicle. Phase 2: Supplement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, D. W.; Gerler, V. M.

1972-01-01

The labor costs and techniques associated with the maintenance of a bonded-on ablator thermal protection system (TPS) concept, suitable for Space Shuttle application are examined. The baseline approach to TPS attachment involves bonding reusable surface insulation (RSI) and/or ablators to the structural skin of the vehicle. The RSI and/or ablators in the form of either flat or contoured panels can be bonded to the skin of the primary structure directly or by way of an intermediate silicone foam rubber pad. The use of foam rubber pads permits the use of buckling skins and protruding heat rivets on the primary structure, minimizing structural weight and fabrication costs. In the case of the RSI, the foam rubber pad serves as a required strain isolator. For purpose of comparison, test data were obtained for an installation with and without the use of a strain isolator. The refurbishment aspects of a bonded-on RSI concept (without a strain isolator) were examined experimentally along with several externally removable panel concepts employing both ablator and RSI TPS. The various concepts are compared.

Software and Human-Machine Interface Development for Environmental Controls Subsystem Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobson, Matthew

2018-01-01

The Space Launch System (SLS) is the next premier launch vehicle for NASA. It is the next stage of manned space exploration from American soil, and will be the platform in which we push further beyond Earth orbit. In preparation of the SLS maiden voyage on Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), the existing ground support architecture at Kennedy Space Center required significant overhaul and updating. A comprehensive upgrade of controls systems was necessary, including programmable logic controller software, as well as Launch Control Center (LCC) firing room and local launch pad displays for technician use. Environmental control acts as an integral component in these systems, being the foremost system for conditioning the pad and extremely sensitive launch vehicle until T-0. The Environmental Controls Subsystem (ECS) required testing and modification to meet the requirements of the designed system, as well as the human factors requirements of NASA software for Validation and Verification (V&V). This term saw significant strides in the progress and functionality of the human-machine interfaces used at the launch pad, and improved integration with the controller code.

KSC-2009-5952

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A bow shock forms around the Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall Ares I-X test rocket traveling at supersonic speed. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and goes supersonic in 39 seconds. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews

KSC-2009-5959

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A fiery blaze trails the Ares I-X test rocket as it takes off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/ Kenny Allen

KSC-2009-5962

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Two of the lightning towers frame the Ares I-X test rocket as it takes off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. NASA’s Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/ Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connell

KSC-2009-5968

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Ares I-X test rocket ignites its first stage at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. The Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/ George Roberts and Tony Gray

KSC-2009-2296

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1, on top of the crawler-transporter, reaches the top of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-2294

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1, on top of the crawler-transporter, nears the flame trench (lower left) on the top of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5971

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Ares I-X test rocket climbs into the skies above Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. NASA’s Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/ George Roberts and Tony Gray

KSC-2009-5972

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA's Ares I-X test rocket flies high above Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. NASA’s Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX.Photo credit: NASA/ George Roberts and Tom Farrar

KSC-2009-2290

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1 is moving to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida via the crawler-transporter underneath. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-2292

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1 nears the top of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida via the crawler-transporter underneath. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-2289

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1 is moving to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida via the crawler-transporter underneath. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-2295

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mobile Launcher Platform-1, on top of the crawler-transporter, reaches the top of Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The MLP has been handed over to the Constellation Program for its future use for the Ares I-X flight test in the summer of 2009. Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I, which is part of the Constellation Program to return men to the moon and beyond. Ground Control System hardware was installed in MLP-1 in December 2008. The MLP is being moved to the launch pad to check out the installed hardware with the Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 equipment, using the actual circuits that will be used when the fully stacked Ares I-X vehicle is rolled out later this year for launch. Following this testing, MLP-1 will be moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building's High Bay 3 to begin stacking, or assembling, Ares I-X. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-5973

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ares I-X test rocket launches into a bright Florida sky from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 28. NASA’s Constellation Program's 327-foot-tall rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/George Roberts and Tom Farrar

Boeing CST-100 Starliner Processing

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-26

Boeing’s CST-100 Pad Abort Test Vehicle is almost ready to head to White Sands, New Mexico, to test the launch abort engines. During that test, the four abort engines will prove that the vehicle can safely perform an abort maneuver in the event of an emergency on the launchpad or during flight. The vehicle is mated to the service module for a fit check, and then the two will be taken apart for final preparations before heading to the desert.

KSC-06pd1340

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - This associated computer image shows data being relayed from the avian radars recently set up on Launch Pad 39B. The computer is one of two in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-06pd1338

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center, NASA Test Director Steve Payne points to laptop computers that will display data relayed from the avian radars recently set up on Launch Pad 39B. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-2014-1955

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ground support technicians install new roller bearings on the C truck of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

KSC-2012-2599

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cable trays wind their way along the grating in high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, during part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2595

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, old racks are being excessed in high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, as part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2594

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, old cabling is being pulled from high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, as part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2597

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cable trays run along the walls in high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, as part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Crawler Transporter 2 (CT-2) Trek from Pad 39B to VAB

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-03-21

Crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) moves slowly along the crawlerway on its way back to the Vehicle Assembly Building (in view in the background) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Water sprayed by a truck in front to reduce dust creates a small rainbow. The crawler took a trip to the Pad A/B split to test upgrades recently completed that will allow the giant vehicle to handle the load of the agency's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft atop the mobile launcher. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program oversaw upgrades to the 50-year-old CT-2. New generators, gear assemblies, jacking, equalizing and leveling (JEL) hydraulic cylinders, roller bearings and brakes were installed, and other components were upgraded to prepare for Exploration Mission 1.

KSC-00pp0406

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Passing by a palm tree, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter makes its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0406

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

Passing by a palm tree, the Space Shuttle Atlantis aboard the crawler-transporter makes its way to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC00pp0408

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, begins the climb up the ramp to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

KSC-00pp0408

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-03-25

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Atlantis, atop the mobile launcher platform and crawler-transporter, begins the climb up the ramp to Launch Pad 39A. The crawler-transporter carries its cargo at 1 mph, taking about five hours to cover the 3.4 miles from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. A leveling system on the crawler-transporter keeps the top of the Space Shuttle vertical, especially negotiating the ramp leading to the launch pads and when it is raised and lowered on pedestals at the pad. Liftoff of Atlantis on mission STS-101 is scheduled for April 17 at 7:03 p.m. EDT. STS-101 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, to restore full redundancy to the International Space Station power system in preparation for the arrival of the next pressurized module, the Russian-built Zvezda

Wireless power transfer electric vehicle supply equipment installation and validation tool

DOEpatents

Jones, Perry T.; Miller, John M.

2015-05-19

A transmit pad inspection device includes a magnetic coupling device, which includes an inductive circuit that is configured to magnetically couple to a primary circuit of a charging device in a transmit pad through an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. The inductive circuit functions as a secondary circuit for a set of magnetically coupled coils. The magnetic coupling device further includes a rectification circuit, and includes a controllable load bank or is configured to be connected to an external controllable load back. The transmit pad inspection device is configured to determine the efficiency of power transfer under various coupling conditions. In addition, the transmit pad inspection device can be configured to measure residual magnetic field and the frequency of the input current, and to determine whether the charging device has been installed properly.

STS-53 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-12-02

STS053-S-056 (2 Dec 1992) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery, with a crew of five astronauts onboard, launches from Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Pad 39A at 8:24:00 a.m. (EST), December 2, 1992. The all military crew supporting the Department of Defense (DOD) flight included astronauts David M. Walker, Robert D. Cabana, Guion S. Bluford Jr., James S. Voss and Michael R. U. (Rick) Clifford.

KSC-97PC870

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-05-30

A Titan IVB core vehicle and its twin Solid Rocket Motor Upgrades (SRMUs) depart from the Solid Rocket Motor Assembly and Readiness Facility (SMARF), Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS), en route to Launch Complex 40. At the pad, the Centaur upper stage will be added and, eventually, the prime payload, the Cassini spacecraft. Cassini will explore the Saturnian system, including the planet’s rings and moon, Titan. Launch of the Cassini mission to Saturn is scheduled for Oct. 6 from Pad 40, CCAS

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A 70mm camera was used to expose this image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches. The launch pad and orbiter can be seen reflected in the water directly in front of it.

Launch of STS-63 Discovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A 35mm camera was used to expose this image of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it began its race to catch up with Russia's Mir Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Pad 39B, Kennedy Space Center (KSC) occurred at 12:22:04 (EST) February 3, 1995. Discovery is the first in the current fleet of four space shuttle vehicles to make 20 launches. The launch pad and orbiter can be seen reflected in the water directly in front of it.

KSC-04PD-2441

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. On Launch Pad 39A, a rescue force climbs into slidewire baskets on the Fixed Service Structure during an emergency egress scenario. The four-hour exercise simulated normal launch countdown operations, with the added challenge of a fictitious event causing an evacuation of the vehicle and launch pad. It tested the teams rescue approaches on the Fixed Service Structure, slidewire basket evacuation, triage care and transportation of injured personnel to hospitals, as well as communications and coordination.

Large Crawler Crane for new lightning protection system

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-10-25

A large crawler crane begins moving away from the turn basin at the Launch Complex 39 Area on NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The crane with its 70-foot boom will be moved to Launch Pad 39B and used to construct a new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Pad B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including Ares I-X which is scheduled for April 2009.

Dr. Wernher Von Braun near the mobile launcher.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Dr. George Mueller, NASA associate administrator for manned space flight, and Dr. Wernher Von Braun (right), director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, are seen near the mobile launcher carrying a 363 foot tall Saturn V space launch vehicle as the rocket is rolled from the vehicle assembly building at KSC for its three mile trip to the launch pad.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-02-06

A bird's-eye view of Apollo 6 and its gantry leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building on the transporter heading to the launch site on Pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Multilevel Vehicle Design: Fuel Economy, Mobility and Safety Considerations, Part B. Ground Vehicle Weight and Occupant Safety Under Blast Loading

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-11

UNCLASSIFIED 11 Occupant Model Inputs: Blast Pulse (apeak) Seat Cushion Foam Stiffness (sc) Seat EA System Stiffness (sEA) Outputs: Upper Neck Axial Force...Floor Pad Surrogate model from linear regression on 300 data points: Inputs: Blast Pulse (apeak) Seat Cushion Foam Stiffness (sc) Seat EA System...B Ground Vehicle Weight and Occupant Safety Under Blast Loading Steven Hoffenson, presenter (U of M) Panos Papalambros, PI (U of M) Michael

KSC-06pd0840

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-06pd0845

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-06pd0841

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The payload canister passes NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and Launch Control Center on its way to Launch Pad 39B. Inside are the payloads for mission STS-121: the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo, with supplies and equipment for the International Space Station; the lightweight multi-purpose experiment support structure carrier; and the integrated cargo carrier, with the mobile transporter reel assembly and a spare pump module. The payload will be transferred from the canister to Space Shuttle Discovery's payload bay at the pad. Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-121 from Launch Pad 39B in a window that opens July 1 and extends to July 19. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-2011-6982

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. With a view from the two-track crawlerway, the three 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression stand over the remnants of the fixed service structure. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-6981

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-09-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The deconstruction of Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is complete. With a view from the two-track crawlerway, the three 600-foot-tall lightning protection towers and the water tower used for sound suppression stand over the remnants of the fixed service structure. In 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. For information on NASA's future plans, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Replicas of the Santa Maria, Nina, Pinta sail by OV-105 on KSC LC Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Replicas of Christopher Columbus' sailing ships Santa Maria, Nina, and Pinta sail by Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, on Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B awaiting liftoff on its maiden voyage, STS-49. This view was taken from the water showing the three ships in the foreground with OV-105 on mobile launcher platform profiled against fixed service structure (FSS) tower and rectracted rotating service structure (RSS) in the background. Next to the launch pad (at right) are the sound suppression water system tower and the liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage tank. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-92PC-967.

Water Deluge Test at Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-24

About 450,000 gallons of water flow at high speed from a holding tank through new and modified piping and valves, the flame trench, flame deflector nozzles and mobile launcher interface risers during a wet flow test on May 24, 2018, at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At peak flow, the water reached about 100 feet in the air above the pad surface. The test was performed by Exploration Ground Systems to confirm the performance of the Ignition Overpressure/Sound Suppression system. During launch of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, the high-speed water flow will help protect the vehicle from the extreme acoustic and temperature environment during ignition and liftoff.

KSC-2009-1301

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-22

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Brilliant beams of sunlight bounce off the new lightning tower under construction on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. New sections are being added with the help of a giant crane (at right). Three new lightning towers on the pad will be 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2010-4941

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4942

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crews are dismantling the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4946

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crews are dismantling the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4944

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crews are dismantling the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4943

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4945

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-09-30

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-4987

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crews continue dismantling the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2009-1563

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A lightning mast remains to be lifted atop the third and final lightning tower erected on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Three towers surround the pad. The new lightning protection system is being built for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Each of the towers is 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2009-1942

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane has removed the 80-foot lightning mast from the top of the fixed service structure. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

The Design of an Experimental Apparatus to Measure the Motions of a Towed Submersible Environmental Sensor Vehicle.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

obtained by the vertical excitation apparatus, keeping the horizontal excitation apparatus .4 at zero frequ ncy. The model c.g. moves in a sinusoidal...point between the support plates and the rail module, foam rubber pads were inserted.. These pads increased the coefficient of friction and reduced the...involved the CADIG 4051 Tektronix computer data SI acquistion and graphic display system. The Tektronix 4050 series computers can be used as stand alone

Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, roll out to KSC Launch Complex Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-03-13

S92-34862 (13 March 1992) --- An otter, surprised by the unexpected presence of the photographer, seems unaware of the Space Shuttle Endeavour rolling behind it to Launch Pad 39B. Endeavour is the newest orbiter in the Shuttle fleet. Still ahead for Endeavour (OV-105) is a Flight Readiness Firing of its three main engines, and the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test with the flight crew. Endeavour's maiden voyage on NASA's mission STS-49 will occur in late spring.

STS-28 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-08-08

STS028-S-007 (8 Aug 1989) --- Columbia is pictured just prior to clearing the tower at Launch Pad 39-B. The spacecraft renews flight after a period of three and a half years, this time with five crewmembers aboard for STS-28. Onboard the spacecraft are Astronauts Brewster H. Shaw Jr., Richard N. Richards, David C. Leestma, James C. Adamson and Mark N. Brown. The last time Columbia was in space was in January of 1986.

Expedition 9 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-16

Security Officers with their dog watch as the Soyuz TMA-4 capsule and its booster rocket begin to roll to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Saturday, April 17, 2004, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan in preparation for the launch of the Expedition 9 crew and a European researcher to the International Space Station on April 19. The Soyuz vehicle is transported to the launch pad horizontally on a railcar from its processing hangar in a process that takes about 2.5 hours to complete. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) begins its trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) has exited the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for its trek along the crawlerway to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) travels along the crawlerway from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its trek to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) travels along the crawlerway during its trek to Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

KSC-2013-3619

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench deflector located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks has been removed. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-99pp0525

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

As the sun begins to rise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-2011-7393

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mechanical engineering students from Louisiana State University joined engineers and scientists at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the students toured the facility to have a look at the flame trench. Designers are looking for new, flame and vibration-resistant materials to line the trench. To help in the search, a team of mechanical engineering students at Louisiana State University are to build a scaled-down version of the flame trench that Kennedy's scientists can use to try out sample materials for the trench. If the samples work in the lab, they can be tried out in the real flame trenches at Launch Pad 39A and 39B. The launch pad has been refurbished extensively and work is continuing to modify the pad to support a variety of launch vehicles in the future. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-7394

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mechanical engineering students from Louisiana State University joined engineers and scientists at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the students toured the facility to have a look at the flame trench. Designers are looking for new, flame and vibration-resistant materials to line the trench. To help in the search, a team of mechanical engineering students at Louisiana State University are to build a scaled-down version of the flame trench that Kennedy's scientists can use to try out sample materials for the trench. If the samples work in the lab, they can be tried out in the real flame trenches at Launch Pad 39A and 39B. The launch pad has been refurbished extensively and work is continuing to modify the pad to support a variety of launch vehicles in the future. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-7397

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Louisiana State University mechanical engineering students Kevin Schenker, from left, and Jacob Koch join Luz Marina Calle, a scientist at NASA's Kennedy Space in Florida, as they examine a portion of the wall of the flame trench at Launch Pad 39B. Designers are looking for new, flame and vibration-resistant materials to line the trench. To help in the search, a team of mechanical engineering students at Louisiana State University are to build a scaled-down version of the flame trench that Kennedy's scientists can use to try out sample materials for the trench. If the samples work in the lab, they can be tried out in the real flame trenches at Launch Pad 39A and 39B. The launch pad has been refurbished extensively and work is continuing to modify the pad to support a variety of launch vehicles in the future. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-7395

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Mechanical engineering students from Louisiana State University, the group on the left, joined engineers and scientists at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the students toured the facility to have a look at the flame trench. Designers are looking for new, flame and vibration-resistant materials to line the trench. To help in the search, a team of mechanical engineering students at Louisiana State University are to build a scaled-down version of the flame trench that Kennedy's scientists can use to try out sample materials for the trench. If the samples work in the lab, they can be tried out in the real flame trenches at Launch Pad 39A and 39B. The launch pad has been refurbished extensively and work is continuing to modify the pad to support a variety of launch vehicles in the future. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2010-5406

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, media learn about the transformation of Launch Pad 39B from Jose Perez-Morales, NASA's Launch Pad 39B senior manager. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The transformation includes the removal of the rotating service structure (RSS) and fixed service structure (FSS), refurbishment of the liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen tanks, and the upgrade of about 1.3 million feet of cable. The new lightning protection system, which was in place for the October 2009 launch of Ares I-X, will remain. For information on NASA's future plans, visit www.nasa.gov. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-3126

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This photo shows one of two lightning strikes that occurred on May 11 around 11 p.m. within a third of a mile of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Engineers and safety personnel evaluated data and performed a walkdown of the pad and determined there is no damage to the vehicle or the pad. The images are from Kennedy's Operational Television cameras which can be used to triangulate the location of lightning strikes. Other detection systems include the Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Surveillance System, Strikenet/National Lightning Detection Network, Lightning Induced Voltage Instrumentation System and the Catenary Wire Lightning Instrumentation System. Endeavour is standing by on the pad, prepared for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Photo credit: NASA

KSC-2009-3125

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-05-11

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This photo shows one of two lightning strikes that occurred on May 11 around 11 p.m. within a third of a mile of space shuttle Endeavour on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Engineers and safety personnel evaluated data and performed a walkdown of the pad and determined there is no damage to the vehicle or the pad. The images are from Kennedy's Operational Television cameras which can be used to triangulate the location of lightning strikes. Other detection systems include the Cloud-To-Ground Lightning Surveillance System, Strikenet/National Lightning Detection Network, Lightning Induced Voltage Instrumentation System and the Catenary Wire Lightning Instrumentation System. Endeavour is standing by on the pad, prepared for liftoff in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Photo credit: NASA

117. PNEUMATIC SUPPLY PANEL IN CENTER OF VEHICLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

117. PNEUMATIC SUPPLY PANEL IN CENTER OF VEHICLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ROOM (111), LSB (BLDG. 770), FACING NORTH. CONTROLS FOR FLOW AND PRESSURE REGULATION OF HELIUM ON LEFT SIDE OF PANEL; CONTROLS FOR NITROGEN ON RIGHT SIDE OF PANEL (AT RIGHT EDGE OF PHOTO). - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 West, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

116. PNEUMATIC SUPPLY PANEL IN CENTER OF VEHICLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

116. PNEUMATIC SUPPLY PANEL IN CENTER OF VEHICLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ROOM (111) OF LSB (BLDG. 770), FACING NORTH. CONTROLS FOR FLOW AND PRESSURE REGULATION OF NITROGEN ON RIGHT SIDE OF PANEL; CONTROLS FOR HELIUM ON LEFT SIDE OF PANEL (AT LEFT EDGE OF PHOTO). - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 West, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Bird's-eye View of Apollo 6 on Transporter at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

A bird's-eye view of Apollo 6 and its gantry leaving the Vehicle Assembly Building on the transporter heading to the launch site on Pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Analyses of Noise from Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) Firings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gee, Kent L.; Kenny, R. Jeremy; Jerome, Trevor W.; Neilsen, Tracianne B.; Hobbs, Christopher M.; James, Michael M.

2012-01-01

NASA s Space Launch Vehicle (SLS) program has chosen the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor V (RSRMV) as the booster system for initial flights. Lift off acoustics continue to be a consideration in overall vehicle vibroacoustic evaluations and launch pad modifications. Work started with the Ares program to understand solid rocket noise mechanisms is continuing through SLS program in conjunction with BYU/Blue Ridge Research Consulting.

KSC-06pd1341

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - These laptop computers in Firing Room 4 of the Launch Control Center reveal data being relayed from the avian radars recently set up on Launch Pad 39B. On the left is an associated camera image. On the right is the radar image. When birds, especially vultures, are near the shuttle during a launch, impact on a critical area is possible and could cause catastrophic damage to the vehicle. Already proven affective for aviation where threats posed by bird strikes have been a problem, the avian radar, known as Aircraft Birdstrike Avoidance Radar, provides horizontal and vertical scanning and can monitor either launch pad for movement of vultures around them. If data relayed from the avian radar indicates large birds are dangerously close to the vehicle, controllers could hold the countdown. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-2013-2892

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians position equipment and forklifts as work continues to install new roller shaft bearings in crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings.html. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2598

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, cable is being pulled from the cable trays lining the walls of high bay 3 in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, as part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2601

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers pull cables between the 26th and 29th floors of high bay 3 in the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, during part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2596

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, refurbishment of high bay 3 is under way in the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, as part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. It is 525 feet from the bay’s ceiling to the floor. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-2600

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-27

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers remove cables between the 26th and 29th floors of high bay 3 in the 525-foot-tall Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, during part of a centerwide refurbishment initiative under the Ground Systems Development and Operations GSDO Program. The cable replacement project is under way in high bays 1 and 3 on the east side of the building, facing Launch Complex 39’s pads A and B. Approximately 150 miles of existing Apollo/shuttle era cabling is being removed to make room for installation of state-of-the-art command, communication and control systems that will be needed by future users to perform vehicle testing and verification prior to rollout to the launch pad. For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2013-3550

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician installs a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3556

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician completes the installation of a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3552

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician installs a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3553

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians install a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in the Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3555

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The installation of new bearings on crawler-transporter 2 is underway in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3549

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians install a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3554

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The installation of new bearings on crawler-transporter 2 is underway in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3559

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Steady progress is made on the installation of new bearings on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3558

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A technician completes the installation of a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3557

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians complete the installation of a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3551

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Technicians install a new bearing on crawler-transporter 2 in Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2013-3548

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Preparations are underway to install new bearings on crawler-transporter 2 in the Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay 2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Modifications underway on the crawler are designed to ensure its ability to transport launch vehicles currently under development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. Present modifications represent a redesign and upgrade to the roller bearings and assemblies originally installed on the crawler. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform carrying the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and 39B. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter_bearings_prt.htm. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

STS-37: TCDT Pad B Atlantis GRO (2 of 3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Live footage shows the remaining two crewmembers of STS-37, Mission Specialists Jerry L. Ross, and Jay Apt, entering the White Room, putting on their life preservation vest, and then entering the launch vehicle. Video playbacks, of the crew during the earlier stage of the Terminal Countdown and Demonstration Test, and the processing of the primary payload (Gamma Ray Observatory) are shown. Scenes showing the arrival of Ross at Kennedy Space Center in the T-38 aircraft, the crew on the launch complex during familiarization activities, and training with the M113 vehicle are presented. Also shown are some beautiful panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. This is tape 2 of 3. Tape 1 has a report # of NONP-NASA-VT-2000013416, and tape 3 has a report # of NONP-NASA-VT-2000013418.

KSC-08pd3270

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-20

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Despite the incline, space shuttle Atlantis remains on a level plane as it rolls off Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion was at 6:48 a.m. EDT. The crawler-transporter underneath the mobile launcher platform maintains the level plane through a leveling system designed to keep the top of the space shuttle vehicle vertical. This system also provides the leveling operations required to negotiate the 5-percent ramp leading to the launch pads. Atlantis is rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to await launch on its STS-125 mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Atlantis' targeted launch on Oct. 14 was delayed when a system that transfers science data from the orbiting observatory to Earth malfunctioned on Sept. 27. The new target launch date is under review. The space shuttle is mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform and will be delivered to the Vehicle Assembly Building atop a crawler transporter. traveling slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The rollback is expected to take approximately six hours. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Measurements in atmospheric electricity designed to improve launch safety during the Apollo series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nanevicz, J. E.; Pierce, E. T.; Whitson, A. L.

1972-01-01

Ground test measurements were made during the launches of Apollo 13 and 14 in an effort to better define the electrical characteristics of a large launch vehicle. Of particular concern was the effective electrical length of the vehicle and plume since this parameter markedly affects the likelihood of a lightning stroke being triggered by a launch during disturbed weather conditions. Since no instrumentation could be carried aboard the launch vehicle, the experiments were confined to LF radio noise and electrostatic-field measurements on the ground in the vicinity of the launch pad. The philosophy of the experiment and the instrumentation and layout are described. From the results of the experiment it is concluded that the rocket and exhaust do not produce large-scale shorting of the earth's field out to distances of thousands of feet from the launch pad. There is evidence, however, that the plume does add substantially to the electrical length of the rocket. On this basis, it was recommended that there be no relaxation of launch rules for launches during disturbed weather.

KSC-2009-6008

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 23 times the power output of the Hoover Dam, NASA’s Ares I-X test rocket soars into blue skies above Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo credit: NASA/Sandra Joseph and Kevin O'Connel

Saturn V Vehicle for the Apollo 4 Mission in the Vehicle Assembly Building

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

This photograph depicts the Saturn V vehicle (SA-501) for the Apollo 4 mission in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). After the completion of the assembly operation, the work platform was retracted and the vehicle was readied to rollout from the VAB to the launch pad. The Apollo 4 mission was the first launch of the Saturn V launch vehicle. Objectives of the unmanned Apollo 4 test flight were to obtain flight information on launch vehicle and spacecraft structural integrity and compatibility, flight loads, stage separation, and subsystems operation including testing of restart of the S-IVB stage, and to evaluate the Apollo command module heat shield. The Apollo 4 was launched on November 9, 1967 from KSC.

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, begins its roll maneuver after clearing the fixed service structure (FSS) tower as it rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A. In the foreground of this horizontal scene is Florida brush and a waterway. Beyond the brush, the shuttle's exhaust cloud envelops the immediate launch pad area. Launch occurred at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in the nearby waterway. Once in Earth orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2).

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, rises above KSC LC Pad 39A during liftoff

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A after liftoff at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area and the glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in a nearby marsh as OV-102 atop its external tank (ET) heads toward Earth orbit. A small flock of birds is visible at the right. Once in Earth's orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission.

A Summary of Meteorological Parameters During Space Shuttle Pad Exposure Periods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Overbey, Glenn; Roberts, Barry C.

2005-01-01

During the 113 missions of the Space Transportation System (STS), the Space Shuffle fleet has been exposed to the elements on the launch pad for a total of 4195 days. The Natural Environments Branch at Marshall Space Flight Center archives atmospheric environments to which the Space Shuttle vehicles are exposed. This paper provides a summary of the historical record of the meteorological conditions encountered by the Space Shuttle fleet during the pad exposure period. Sources of the surface parameters, including temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, sea level pressure and precipitation are presented. Data is provided from the first launch of the STS in 1981 through the launch of STS-107 in 2003.

STS-81 Rollout to Pad 39B (turtle in foreground)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Will the Space Shuttle Atlantis or the turtle reach Launch Pad 39B first? Carried atop the Mobile Launch Platform on the 6- million-pound Crawler Transporter, Shuttle Atlantis departs the Vehicle Assembly Building en route to Pad B at a maximum speed of 1 mile per hour. No one clocked the turtle, which seems to be heading in the same direction. Atlantis is tentatively scheduled to lift off on a nine-day mission on Jan. 12. STS-81 will be the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking. The six-member crew at liftoff will include Mission Specialist J.M. Linenger, who will transfer to the Russian Mir Space Station for an extended stay, replacing astronaut John E. Blaha, who will return to Earth on Atlantis.

KSC-08pd1111

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, access arms from the fixed service structure at Launch Pad 39A are in place against space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, as final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission begins at the pad. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Building a standards-based and collaborative e-prescribing tool: MyRxPad.

PubMed

Nelson, Stuart J; Zeng, Kelly; Kilbourne, John

2011-01-01

MyRxPad (rxp.nlm.nih.gov) is a prototype application intended to enable a practitioner-patient collaborative approach towards e-prescribing: patients play an active role by maintaining up-to-date and accurate medication lists. Prescribers make well-informed and safe prescribing decisions based on personal medication records contributed by patients. MyRxPad is thus the vehicle for collaborations with patients using MyMedicationList (MML). Integration with personal medication records in the context of e-prescribing is thus enabled. We present our experience in applying RxNorm in an e-prescribing setting: using standard names and codes to capture prescribed medication as well as extracting information from RxNorm to support medication-related clinical decision.

KSC-2010-4984

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this image shows the progress of the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B as it is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2010-4988

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this long range view shows the progress of the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B as it is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2010-4986

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-10-04

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, this image shows the progress of the rotating service structure (RSS) on Launch Pad 39B as it is being dismantled. Sand, reinforcing steel and large wooden mats were put down under the RSS to protect the structure's concrete from falling debris during deconstruction. Starting in 2009, the structure at the pad was no longer needed for NASA's Space Shuttle Program, so it is being restructured for future use. The new design will feature a "clean pad" for rockets to come with their own launcher, making it more versatile for a number of vehicles. The new lightning protection system, consisting of three lightning towers and a wire catenary system will remain. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39A

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-07-08

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, begins its roll maneuver after clearing the fixed service structure (FSS) tower as it rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A. In the foreground of this horizontal scene is Florida brush and a waterway. Beyond the brush, the shuttle's exhaust cloud envelops the immediate launch pad area. Launch occurred at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in the nearby waterway. Once in Earth orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2).

STS-65 Columbia, OV-102, rises above KSC LC Pad 39A during liftoff

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-07-08

Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, rises above Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39A after liftoff at 12:43 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). An exhaust cloud covers the launch pad area and the glow of the space shuttle main engine (SSME) and solid rocket booster (SRB) firings is reflected in a nearby marsh as OV-102 atop its external tank (ET) heads toward Earth orbit. A small flock of birds is visible at the right. Once in Earth's orbit, STS-65's six NASA astronauts and a Japanese Payload Specialist aboard OV-102 will begin two weeks of experimentation in support of the second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) mission.

KSC-2009-1001

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane completes construction of one of the towers in the new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Other towers are being constructed at left and behind the service structures on the pad. Each of the three new lightning towers will be 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1941

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane is being used to remove the 80-foot lightning mast from the top of the fixed service structure. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

KSC-2009-1008

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane places the 100-foot fiberglass mast atop the new lightning tower constructed on the pad. The towers are part of the new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Each of the three new lightning towers will be 500 feet tall with the additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-1006

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane places the 100-foot fiberglass mast atop the new lightning tower constructed on the pad. The towers are part of the new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Each of the three new lightning towers will be 500 feet tall with the additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-2009-1940

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-03-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane is being used to remove the 80-foot lightning mast from the top of the fixed service structure. The mast is no longer needed with the erection of the three lightning towers around the pad. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. The three new lightning towers are 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

Assessment of the LC-2 Prelaunch Fatigue Spectra of the CM-to-SM Flange Weld

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawicke, David S.; Newman, John A.

2008-01-01

The pad stay and rollout components of the Ares I-X life cycle can generate cyclic stress oscillations to the vehicle that could initiate and grow fatigue cracks from weld defects. The Ares I-X Project requested that a study be performed to determine if stabilization of the vehicle is required to reduce the stresses that could initiate and grow fatigue cracks at the flange-to-skin weld of the Command Module (CM) and Service Module (SM) interface. A fatigue crack growth analysis was conducted that used loads (LC-2) and stress analyses developed by the Ares I-X Project and utilized material data and analysis methods developed by a critical initial flaw size (CIFS) analysis conducted by NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) for the Upper Stage Simulator (USS) of the Ares I-X vehicle. A full CIFS analysis for the CM-to-SM flange-to-skin weld was not performed because the full flight spectrum was not provided and was not necessary to answer the question posed by the Ares I-X Project. Instead, an approach was developed to determine if the crack growth due to the pad stay and rollout components of the flight spectrum would adversely influence the CIFS. The approach taken used a number of conservative assumptions that eliminated the need for high-fidelity analyses and additional material testing, but still provided a bounding solution for the uncertainties of the problem. The results from this analysis indicate that the LC-2 pad stay and rollout spectrum components would not produce significant fatigue crack growth on the CM-to-SM flange-to-skin weld. Thus, from a fatigue crack growth standpoint, no stabilization is required to reduce the LC-2 pad stay and rollout cyclic stresses on the CM-to-SM flange-to-skin weld.

ISS Progress 24 Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-01-16

JSC2007-E-03082 (16 Jan. 2007) --- Roll-out of the Progress 24 vehicle occurred on schedule at 7:00 a.m., Jan. 16, 2007 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. The vehicle was in the vertical and hard-down at the pad by 9:30 a.m. The gantry towers were placed around the vehicle shortly thereafter. Progress is targeted for launch on Jan. 18, 2007 for a two-day trip to the International Space Station carrying 2 1/2 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the Expedition 14 crew. Photo Credit: NASA

STS-33 Discovery, OV-103, in KSC Vehicle Assembly Bldg after ET/SRB mating

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-10-25

S89-49412 (25 Oct 1989) --- Preparations are underway to rollout the Space Shuttle orbiter Discovery from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Pad 39B, as KSC employees work toward the mid-November launch of STS-33, a Department of Defense Devoted mission. Poor weather has thus far hampered attempts to roll out the Discovery and the next attempt is scheduled for midnight tomorrow.

CCP MRAP Run

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-20

An MRAP armored vehicle goes through a training run on the Shuttle Landing Facility to support NASA's Commercial Crew Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 45,000-pound mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, was originally designed for military applications. The MRAP offers a mobile bunker for astronauts and ground crews in the unlikely event they have to get away from the launch pad quickly in an emergency.

CCP MRAP Run

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-20

Inside a Shuttle Landing Facility hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, two MRAP armored vehicles are prepared for a training drive to support the agency's Commercial Crew Program. The 45,000-pound mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, was originally designed for military applications. The MRAP offers a mobile bunker for astronauts and ground crews in the unlikely event they have to get away from the launch pad quickly in an emergency.

CCP MRAP Run

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-20

Inside a Shuttle Landing Facility hangar at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an MRAP armored vehicle is prepared for a training drive to support the agency's Commercial Crew Program. The 45,000-pound mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, was originally designed for military applications. The MRAP offers a mobile bunker for astronauts and ground crews in the unlikely event they have to get away from the launch pad quickly in an emergency.

CCP MRAP Run

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-20

Two MRAP armored vehicles go through a training run on the Shuttle Landing Facility to support NASA's Commercial Crew Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 45,000-pound mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAPs, were originally designed for military applications. The MRAP offers a mobile bunker for astronauts and ground crews in the unlikely event they have to get away from the launch pad quickly in an emergency.

KSC-08pd2668

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the massive crawler-transporter carrying space shuttle Endeavour approaches the launch pad. First motion of Endeavour from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:15 p.m. Sept. 18. The crawler travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt “shoes.” Each shoe is 7.5 feet long, 1.5 feet wide and weighs approximately 2,100 pounds. Endeavour completed the 4.2-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B on Sept. 19 at 6:59 a.m. EDT. For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles are on the launch pads at the same time at the center. Endeavour will stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 10. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue spacecraft, it will be moved to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. That flight is targeted for launch Nov. 12. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Space Shuttle and Launch Pad Computational Fluid Dynamics Model for Lift-off Debris Transport Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dougherty, Sam; West, Jeff; Droege, Alan; Wilson, Josh; Liever, Peter; Slaby, Matthew

2006-01-01

This paper discusses the Space Shuttle Lift-off CFD model developed for potential Lift-off Debris transport for return-to-flight. The Lift-off portion of the flight is defined as the time starting with tanking of propellants until tower clear, approximately T0+6 seconds, where interactions with the launch pad cease. A CFD model containing the Space Shuttle and launch Pad geometry has been constructed and executed. Simplifications required in the construction of the model are presented and discussed. A body-fitted overset grid of up to 170 million grid points was developed which allowed positioning of the Vehicle relative to the Launch Pad over the first six seconds of Climb-Out. The CFD model works in conjunction with a debris particle transport model and a debris particle impact damage tolerance model. These models have been used to assess the interactions of the Space Shuttle plumes, the wind environment, and their interactions with each other and the Launch Pad and their ultimate effect on potential debris during Lift-off.

Design of Launch Abort System Thrust Profile and Concept of Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litton, Daniel; O'Keefe, Stephen A.; Winski, Richard G.; Davidson, John B.

2008-01-01

This paper describes how the Abort Motor thrust profile has been tailored and how optimizing the Concept of Operations on the Launch Abort System (LAS) of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) aides in getting the crew safely away from a failed Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV). Unlike the passive nature of the Apollo system, the Orion Launch Abort Vehicle will be actively controlled, giving the program a more robust abort system with a higher probability of crew survival for an abort at all points throughout the CLV trajectory. By optimizing the concept of operations and thrust profile the Orion program will be able to take full advantage of the active Orion LAS. Discussion will involve an overview of the development of the abort motor thrust profile and the current abort concept of operations as well as their effects on the performance of LAS aborts. Pad Abort (for performance) and Maximum Drag (for separation from the Launch Vehicle) are the two points that dictate the required thrust and shape of the thrust profile. The results in this paper show that 95% success of all performance requirements is not currently met for Pad Abort. Future improvements to the current parachute sequence and other potential changes will mitigate the current problems, and meet abort performance requirements.

Saturn 1B space vehicle for ASTP moves from VAB to launch complex

NASA Image and Video Library

1975-03-24

S75-24007 (24 March 1975) --- The Saturn 1B space vehicle for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission, with its launch umbilical tower, rides atop a huge crawler-transporter as it moves slowly away from the Vehicle Assembly Building on its 4.24-mile journey to Pad B, Launch Complex 39, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The ASTP vehicle is composed of a Saturn 1B (first) stage, a Saturn IVB (second) stage, and a payload consisting of a Command/Service Module and a Docking Module. The joint U.S.-USSR ASTP docking mission in Earth orbit is scheduled for July 1975.

Progress on the J-2X Upper Stage Engine for the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle and the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byrd, Thomas D.; Kynard, Michael .

2007-01-01

NASA's Vision for Exploration requires a safe, reliable, affordable upper stage engine to power the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) and the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle. The J-2X engine is being developed for that purpose, epitomizing NASA's philosophy of employing legacy knowledge, heritage hardware, and commonality to carry the next generation of explorers into low-Earth orbit and out into the solar system This presentation gives top-level details on accomplishments to date and discusses forward work necessary to bring the J-2X engine to the launch pad.

Launch of Apollo 8 lunar orbit mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1968-01-01

The Apollo 8 (Spacecraft 103/Saturn 503) space vehicle launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, at 7:51 a.m., December 21, 1968. In this view there is water in the foreground and seagulls.

KSC-2012-6163

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 has been undergoing modifications inside high bay 2 of the Vehicle Assembly Building in preparation to carry the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the launch pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2012-6176

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler-transporter No. 2 is parked outside of the Vehicle Assembly Building. The Crawler-transporter has been undergoing modifications to ensure its ability to carry the space agency's Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket to the launch pad. NASA's Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is leading the 20-year life-extension project for the crawler. A pair of behemoth machines called crawler-transporters has carried the load of taking rockets and spacecraft to the launch pad for more than 40 years at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each the size of a baseball infield and powered by locomotive and large electrical power generator engines, the crawler-transporters will stand ready to keep up the work for the next generation of launch vehicles projects to lift astronauts into space. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2014-1951

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-01

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, preparations are underway to remove the gear boxes on the C truck of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2. A section of the treads were removed to allow access to the gear boxes. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Cory Huston

GSDO Crawler 2 Refurbishment

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a ground support technician assists with removal of bearings from the B truck tread of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2. New roller bearing assemblies will be installed. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-1801

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-18

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, an old bearing has been removed from the B truck tread of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2, and loaded onto a forklift for disposal. New roller bearing assemblies will be installed. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-2217

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-17

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, ground support technicians prepare for removal of the outboard and inboard sprocket shaft assemblies on the C truck of crawler-transporter 2, or CT-2. A section of the treads on the C truck were removed to allow access to the sprocket assemblies. Work continues in high bay 2 to upgrade CT-2. The modifications are designed to ensure CT-2’s ability to transport launch vehicles currently in development, such as the agency’s Space Launch System, to the launch pad. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program office at Kennedy is overseeing the upgrades. For more than 45 years the crawler-transporters were used to transport the mobile launcher platform and the Apollo-Saturn V rockets and, later, space shuttles to Launch Pads 39A and B. For more information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/crawler-transporter. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-05PD-1148

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Dwarfing the accompanying vehicles, Space Shuttle Discovery, resting on the Mobile Launcher Platform atop the Crawler/Transporter, heads along the crawlerway to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Discovery is rolling back from Launch Pad 39B (in the background). Once inside the VAB, Discovery will be demated from its External Tank and lifted into the transfer aisle. On or about June 7, Discovery will be lifted and attached to its new tank and Solid Rocket Boosters, which are already in the VAB. Only the 15th rollback in Space Shuttle Program history, the 4.2-mile journey allows additional modifications to be made to the External Tank prior to a safe Return to Flight. Discovery is expected to be rolled back to the launch pad in mid-June for Return to Flight mission STS-114. The launch window extends from July 13 to July 31.

Open Vehicle Sketch Pad Aircraft Modeling Strategies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hahn, Andrew S.

2013-01-01

Geometric modeling of aircraft during the Conceptual design phase is very different from that needed for the Preliminary or Detailed design phases. The Conceptual design phase is characterized by the rapid, multi-disciplinary analysis of many design variables by a small engineering team. The designer must walk a line between fidelity and productivity, picking tools and methods with the appropriate balance of characteristics to achieve the goals of the study, while staying within the available resources. Identifying geometric details that are important, and those that are not, is critical to making modeling and methodology choices. This is true for both the low-order analysis methods traditionally used in Conceptual design as well as the highest-order analyses available. This paper will highlight some of Conceptual design's characteristics that drive the designer s choices as well as modeling examples for several aircraft configurations using the open source version of the Vehicle Sketch Pad (Open VSP) aircraft Conceptual design geometry modeler.

Advanced Usage of Vehicle Sketch Pad for CFD-Based Conceptual Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordaz, Irian; Li, Wu

2013-01-01

Conceptual design is the most fluid phase of aircraft design. It is important to be able to perform large scale design space exploration of candidate concepts that can achieve the design intent to avoid more costly configuration changes in later stages of design. This also means that conceptual design is highly dependent on the disciplinary analysis tools to capture the underlying physics accurately. The required level of analysis fidelity can vary greatly depending on the application. Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP) allows the designer to easily construct aircraft concepts and make changes as the design matures. More recent development efforts have enabled VSP to bridge the gap to high-fidelity analysis disciplines such as computational fluid dynamics and structural modeling for finite element analysis. This paper focuses on the current state-of-the-art geometry modeling for the automated process of analysis and design of low-boom supersonic concepts using VSP and several capability-enhancing design tools.

KSC-98pc1238

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Looking eastward, the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) in the Launch Complex 39 area can be seen with its new coat of paint, along with newly painted American flag and NASA logo. The improved look was finished in time to honor NASA's 40th anniversary on Oct. 1. In order to do the job, workers were suspended on platforms from the top of the 525-foot-high VAB. One of the world's largest buildings by volume, the VAB is the last stop for the Shuttle before rollout to the launch pad. Integration and stacking of the complete Space Shuttle vehicle (orbiter, two solid rocket boosters and the external tank) takes place in High Bays 1 or 3. Stretching from the side of the VAB, on the right, is the crawlerway, used to transport the Space Shuttle to the launch pad. Beyond the VAB is Banana Creek

2. AERIAL VIEW OF SLC3 FROM THE NORTH. SLC3W IN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. AERIAL VIEW OF SLC-3 FROM THE NORTH. SLC-3W IN FOREGROUND; SLC-3E IN BACKGROUND. LAUNCH OPERATIONS BUILDING (LOB; BLDG. 763) AND CABLE TRAYS BETWEEN LOB AND THE PADS VISIBLE IMMEDIATELY EAST (LEFT) OF THE PADS. VEHICLE SUPPORT BUILDING (BLDG. 766) LOCATED EAST OF ROAD IN LEFT FOREGROUND. TECHNICAL SUPPORT BUILDING (BLDG. 762/762A) AND SLC-3 AIR FORCE BUILDING (BLDG. 761) VISIBLE EAST OF LOG IN LEFT BACKGROUND. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Expedition 9 Soyuz Rollout

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-16

Alexander Zelenschikov, the Deputy Chief Designer of RSC-Energia, stands outside a processing facility at the Baikonur Cosmodrome as the Soyuz TMA-4 capsule and its booster rocket start the rollout to the launch pad on Saturday, April 17, 2004, in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, in preparation for the launch of the Expedition 9 crew and a European researcher to the International Space Station April 19. The Soyuz vehicle is transported to the launch pad horizontally on a railcar from its processing hangar in a process that takes about 2.5 hours to complete. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

KSC-97PC1363

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-08

Workers remove the Huygens probe from the Cassini spacecraft in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

KSC-97PC1392

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-10

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) workers examine the Huygens probe after removal from the Cassini spacecraft in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

KSC-97PC1393

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-10

Pieces of the Huygens probe internal insulating foam await inspection after removal from the probe in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

KSC-97PC1360

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-08

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) workers remove the Huygens probe from the Cassini spacecraft in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

KSC-97PC1362

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-08

Workers remove the Huygens probe from the Cassini spacecraft in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

KSC-97PC1361

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-08

Workers remove the Huygens probe from the Cassini spacecraft in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

An American flag flutters in the breeze as NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) travels along the crawlerway during its trek to Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

Technicians walk alongside NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) as it continues the trek on the crawlerway from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

Technicians walk alongside NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) as it continues the trek along the crawlerway from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

Crawler Transporter 2 Trek

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-03-23

A truck sprays water in front of NASA’s upgraded crawler-transporter 2 (CT-2) to control dust as it begins the trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Launch Pad 39B to test recently completed upgrades and modifications for NASA’s journey to Mars. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program at Kennedy oversaw upgrades to the crawler in the VAB. The crawler will carry the mobile launcher with Orion atop the Space Launch System rocket to Pad 39B for Exploration Mission-1, scheduled for 2018.

KSC-2013-2689

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-12

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, crawler track panels have been removed from the surface and construction workers are repairing the concrete surface and catacomb roof below. Launch Pad 39B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program office at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2013-3620

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench deflector that was located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks has been removed. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2013-3621

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench deflector that was located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks has been removed. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2013-3615

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the flame trench deflector that was located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks has been removed. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2013-2610

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-10

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers are removing the flame trench deflector that sits below and between the left and right crawler track panels. Launch Pad 39B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program office at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

KSC-2013-3618

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction workers inspect the brick walls of the flame trench area that is located below and between the left and right crawlerway tracks. Pad B is being refurbished to support NASA’s Space Launch System and other launch vehicles. The Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, Program at Kennedy is leading the center’s transformation to safely handle a variety of rockets and spacecraft. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/groundsystems. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

STS-56 Discovery, OV-103, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39B into darkness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

STS-56 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, lifts off from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex (LC) Pad 39B into the early morning darkness at 1:29 am (Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)). OV-103, atop its external tank (ET) and flanked by solid rocket boosters (SRBs), rises above the mobile launcher platform. Exhaust plumes trail from the SRBs. The glow of the SRB / space shuttle main engine (SSME) firings illuminate the fixed service structure (FSS) tower. Trees are silhouetted against the launch fireworks in the foreground.

STS-83 Columbia Rollout to PAD-39A (fish eye view in VAB)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia begins its rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39A in preparation for the STS-83 mission. The Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (MSL-1) Spacelab module is the primary payload on this 16-day space flight. The MSL-1 will be used to test some of the hardware, facilities and procedures that are planned for use on the International Space Station while the seven-member flight crew conducts combustion, protein crystal growth and materials processing experiments.

KSC-2009-1334

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane begins lifting a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast to place it on top of one of the 500-foot towers being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

KSC-2009-1333

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane begins lifting a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast to place it on top of one of the 500-foot towers being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

KSC-2009-1331

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane lifts a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast that will be placed on top of one of the 500-foot towers being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

KSC-2009-1335

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane lifts a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast alongside the 500-foot tower where it will be installed. The tower is one of three being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

KSC-2009-1338

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane places a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast on top of the 500-foot tower. The tower is one of three being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

KSC-2009-1332

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane holds a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast that will be placed on top of one of the 500-foot towers being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

KSC-2009-1337

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane places a 100-foot fiberglass lightning mast on top of the 500-foot tower. The tower is one of three being constructed for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Another tower is seen at right. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009.

Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) Pad Abort Test Vehicle (PATV) II Attitude Control System (ACS) Integration and Pressurization Subsystem Dynamic Random Vibration Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ekrami, Yasamin; Cook, Joseph S.

2011-01-01

In order to mitigate catastrophic failures on future generation space vehicles, engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have begun to integrate a novel crew abort systems that could pull a crew module away in case of an emergency at the launch pad or during ascent. The Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) is a recent test vehicle that was designed as an alternative to the baseline Orion Launch Abort System (LAS) to demonstrate the performance of a "tower-less" LAS configuration under abort conditions. The MLAS II test vehicle will execute a propulsive coast stabilization maneuver during abort to control the vehicles trajectory and thrust. To accomplish this, the spacecraft will integrate an Attitude Control System (ACS) with eight hypergolic monomethyl hydrazine liquid propulsion engines that are capable of operating in a quick pulsing mode. Two main elements of the ACS include a propellant distribution subsystem and a pressurization subsystem to regulate the flow of pressurized gas to the propellant tanks and the engines. The CAD assembly of the Attitude Control System (ACS) was configured and integrated into the Launch Abort Vehicle (LAV) design. A dynamic random vibration analysis was conducted on the Main Propulsion System (MPS) helium pressurization panels to assess the response of the panel and its components under increased gravitational acceleration loads during flight. The results indicated that the panels fundamental and natural frequencies were farther from the maximum Acceleration Spectral Density (ASD) vibrations which were in the range of 150-300 Hz. These values will direct how the components will be packaged in the vehicle to reduce the effects high gravitational loads.

Vented Launch Vehicle Adaptor for a Manned Spacecraft with "Pusher" Launch Abort System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandervort, Robert E. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A system, method, and apparatus for a vented launch vehicle adaptor (LVA) for a manned spacecraft with a "pusher" launch abort system are disclosed. The disclosed LVA provides a structural interface between a commercial crew vehicle (CCV) crew module/service module (CM/SM) spacecraft and an expendable launch vehicle. The LVA provides structural attachment of the module to the launch vehicle. It also provides a means to control the exhaust plume from a pusher-type launch abort system that is integrated into the module. In case of an on-pad or ascent abort, which requires the module to jettison away from the launch vehicle, the launch abort system exhaust plume must be safely directed away from critical and dangerous portions of the launch vehicle in order to achieve a safe and successful jettison.

n/a

NASA Image and Video Library

1970-02-04

The Thorad-Agena launch vehicle with the SERT-2 (Space Electric Rocket Test-2) spacecraft on launch pad at the Western Test Range in California. The SERT-2 was launched on February 4, 1970 and tested the capability of an electric ion thruster system.

Masten Xombie for Testing of JPL Spacecraft-Landing Algorithm

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-12

A Xombie technology demonstrator from Masten Space Systems, Mojave, Calif., ascends from its pad at Mojave Air and Space Port on a test for NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The vehicle is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing experimental rocket.

STS-44 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, is moved from KSC's OPF

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-10-18

S91-50776 (18 Oct 1991) --- The Space Shuttle Atlantis is moved from the Orbital Processing Facility (OPF) Bay 2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The Atlantis will be mated with the external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters before it is transported to Pad 39A, where it will launch a Department of Defense payload, Mission STS-44, in late 1991.

Missile launch pad: an unusual consequence of airbag deployment

PubMed Central

Ronnie, Davies; Emecheta, Ikechukwu E; Kevin, Hancock

2011-01-01

Vehicle airbags significantly reduce vehicle occupant injuries and fatalities in road accidents. However, a number of injuries are recognised as being directly attributable to airbag deployment. The majority of these are blunt injuries due to the high force of airbag deployment and include ocular injuries, burns, chest trauma and, rarely, fatalities. The authors describe a case of mixed blunt ocular and penetrating facial trauma as a result of airbag deployment. PMID:22707498

KSC-04pd1401

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-07-02

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - NASCAR Busch Series race driver Tim Fedewa completes his tour of KSC with a view from an upper level of the Fixed Service Structure on Launch Pad 39A. The Vehicle Assembly Building is in the background. Fedewa is touring KSC for the Speed Channel TV show “NBS 24/7,” which is devoted to NASCAR. Other sites on his tour are the Launch Control Center, Vehicle Assembly Building and the Orbiter Processing Facility.

Ares I-X: First Flight of a New Era

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Stephen R.; Askins, Bruce R.

2010-01-01

Since 2005, NASA s Constellation Program has been designing, building, and testing the next generation of launch and space vehicles to carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO). The Ares Projects at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) are developing the Ares I crew launch vehicle and Ares V cargo launch vehicle. On October 28, 2009, the first development flight test of the Ares I crew launch vehicle, Ares I-X, lifted off from a launch pad at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on successful suborbital flight. Basing exploration launch vehicle designs on Ares I-X information puts NASA one step closer to full-up "test as you fly," a best practice in vehicle design. Although the final Constellation Program architecture is under review, the Ares I-X data and experience in vehicle design and operations can be applied to any launch vehicle. This paper presents the mission background as well as results and lessons learned from the flight.

KSC-08pd1107

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center, access arms from the fixed service structure at Launch Pad 39A are extended toward space shuttle Discovery, secured atop the mobile launch platform below, as final prelaunch processing for the STS-124 mission gets under way at the pad. The 3.4-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building began at 11:47 p.m. on May 2. The shuttle arrived at the launch pad at 4:25 a.m. EDT May 3 and was secured, or hard down, by 6:06 a.m. On the 13-day mission, Discovery and its crew will deliver the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Japanese Experiment Module – Pressurized Module and the Japanese Remote Manipulator System. Launch is targeted for May 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd3184

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A videographer captures the dramatic sunset on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the pad. Atop the fixed service structure at right is the 80-foot tall lightning mast that helps provide lightning protection for the shuttle on the pad. Atlantis’ October target launch date for the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis’ servicing mission to the telescope. In the interim, Atlantis will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building until a new target launch date can be set for the mission in 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-08pd3183

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-14

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida is silhouetted against a sunset sky. Space shuttle Atlantis is on the pad. Atop the fixed service structure at right is the 80-foot tall lightning mast that helps provide lightning protection for the shuttle on the pad. Atlantis’ October target launch date for the STS-125 Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis’ servicing mission to the telescope. In the interim, Atlantis will be rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building until a new target launch date can be set for the mission in 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

KSC-2009-1584

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-02-13

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the 100-foot lightning mast has been raised to vertical. It will be lifted and installed on top of the third and final new lightning tower being erected around the pad. The new lightning protection system is being built for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. Each of the towers is 500 feet tall with an additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Tim Jacobs

KSC-2009-1007

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-01-02

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane places the 100-foot fiberglass mast atop the new lightning tower constructed on the pad. The towers are part of the new lightning protection system for the Constellation Program and Ares/Orion launches. At left of the service structures is another tower under construction. Each of the three new lightning towers will be 500 feet tall with the additional 100-foot fiberglass mast atop supporting a wire catenary system. This improved lightning protection system allows for the taller height of the Ares I rocket compared to the space shuttle. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X test flight that is targeted for July 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-99pp0526

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- As the sun begins to rise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0527

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the early light of dawn, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery, with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, from Pad 39B back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0536

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Space Shuttle Discovery, dwarfed by its external tank and solid rocket boosters, is in position in High Bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank's foam insulation caused by hail. The Shuttle was rolled back from Pad 39B this morning because access to all of the damaged areas was not possible at the pad. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

KSC-99pp0528

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-05-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Lighted by a Florida sunrise, a crawler transporter moves Space Shuttle Discovery from Pad 39B (in the background right) back to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repair of damage to the external tank foam insulation caused by hail. The necessary repair work could not be performed at the pad due to limited access to the damaged areas. The work is expected to take two to three days, allowing Discovery to roll back to the pad by midweek for launch of mission STS-96, the 94th launch in the Space Shuttle Program. This is only the 13th time since 1981 that a Shuttle has had to roll back from the pad. Liftoff will occur no earlier than May 27. STS-96 is a logistics and resupply mission for the International Space Station, carrying such payloads as a Russian crane, the Strela; a U.S.-built crane; the Spacehab Oceaneering Space System Box (SHOSS), a logistics items carrier; and STARSHINE, a student-shared experiment

Temper Foam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Fabricated by Expanded Rubber & Plastics Corporation, Temper Foam provides better impact protection for airplane passengers and enhances passenger comfort on long flights because it distributes body weight and pressure evenly over the entire contact area. Called a "memory foam" it matches the contour of the body pressing against it and returns to its original shape once the pressure is removed. As a shock absorber, a three-inch foam pad has the ability to absorb the impact of a 10-foot fall by an adult. Applications include seat cushioning for transportation vehicles, padding for furniture and a variety of athletic equipment medical applications including wheelchair padding, artificial limb socket lining, finger splint and hand padding for burn patients, special mattresses for the bedridden and dental stools. Production and sales rights are owned by Temper Foam, Inc. Material is manufactured under license by the Dewey and Almy Division of Grace Chemical Corporation. Distributors of the product are Kees Goebel Medical Specialties, Inc. and Alimed, Inc. They sell Temper Foam in bulk to the fabricators who trim it to shapes required by their customers.

KSC-2009-2537

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The sound suppression system is tested on the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X flight test that is targeted for summer 2009. The mobile launcher platform was handed over to the Constellation Program and modified for the Ares I-X flight test. It is being tested before being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for assembly of the Ares I-X rocket. A sound suppression water system is in¬stalled on the pads to protect against damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and mobile launcher plat¬form during a launch. The sound suppression system includes an elevated 290-foot-high water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the rocket and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds. A torrent of water will flow onto the mobile launcher platform from six large quench nozzles, or “rainbirds,” mounted on its surface. The rainbirds are 12 feet high. The two in the center are 42 inches in diameter; the other four have a 30-inch diameter. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-2538

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The sound suppression system is tested on the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X flight test that is targeted for summer 2009. The mobile launcher platform was handed over to the Constellation Program and modified for the Ares I-X flight test. It is being tested before being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for assembly of the Ares I-X rocket. A sound suppression water system is in¬stalled on the pads to protect against damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and mobile launcher plat¬form during a launch. The sound suppression system includes an elevated 290-foot-high water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the rocket and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds. A torrent of water will flow onto the mobile launcher platform from six large quench nozzles, or “rainbirds,” mounted on its surface. The rainbirds are 12 feet high. The two in the center are 42 inches in diameter; the other four have a 30-inch diameter. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-07pd1200

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-05-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis, mounted on a mobile launch platform, finally rests on the hard stand of Launch Pad 39A after an early morning rollout. This is the second rollout for the shuttle. Seen on either side of the main engine exhaust hole on the launcher platform are the tail service masts. Their function is to provide umbilical connections for liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen lines to fuel the external tank from storage tanks adjacent to the launch pad. Other umbilical lines carry helium and nitrogen, as well as ground electrical power and connections for vehicle data and communications. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 5:02 a.m. EDT. In late February, while Atlantis was on the launch pad, Atlantis' external tank received hail damage during a severe thunderstorm that passed through the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 area. The hail caused visible divots in the giant tank's foam insulation, as well as minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the shuttle's left wing. The shuttle was returned to the VAB for repairs. The launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117 is now targeted for June 8. A flight readiness review will be held on May 30 and 31. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Launch vehicle test and checkout plan. - Volume 2: Saturn 1B launch vehicle Skylab R (rescue) and AS-208 flow plan and listings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The launch operations test and checkout plan is a planning document that establishes all launch site checkout activity, including the individual tests and sequence of testing required to fulfill the development center and KSC test and checkout requirements. This volume contains the launch vehicle test and checkout plan encompassing S-1B, S-4B, IU stage, and ground support equipment tests. The plan is based upon AS-208 flow utilizing a manned spacecraft, LUT 1, and launch pad 39B facilities.

Lightning Strike Peak Current Probabilities as Related to Space Shuttle Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dale L.; Vaughan, William W.

2000-01-01

A summary is presented of basic lightning characteristics/criteria applicable to current and future aerospace vehicles. The paper provides estimates on the probability of occurrence of a 200 kA peak lightning return current, should lightning strike an aerospace vehicle in various operational phases, i.e., roll-out, on-pad, launch, reenter/land, and return-to-launch site. A literature search was conducted for previous work concerning occurrence and measurement of peak lighting currents, modeling, and estimating the probabilities of launch vehicles/objects being struck by lightning. This paper presents a summary of these results.

Modelling of Rail Vehicles and Track for Calculation of Ground-Vibration Transmission Into Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, H. E. M.

1996-05-01

A methodology for the calculation of vibration transmission from railways into buildings is presented. The method permits existing models of railway vehicles and track to be incorporated and it has application to any model of vibration transmission through the ground. Special attention is paid to the relative phasing between adjacent axle-force inputs to the rail, so that vibration transmission may be calculated as a random process. The vehicle-track model is used in conjunction with a building model of infinite length. The tracking and building are infinite and parallel to each other and forces applied are statistically stationary in space so that vibration levels at any two points along the building are the same. The methodology is two-dimensional for the purpose of application of random process theory, but fully three-dimensional for calculation of vibration transmission from the track and through the ground into the foundations of the building. The computational efficiency of the method will interest engineers faced with the task of reducing vibration levels in buildings. It is possible to assess the relative merits of using rail pads, under-sleeper pads, ballast mats, floating-slab track or base isolation for particular applications.

KSC-2009-5946

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-10-28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - With more than 23 times the power output of the Hoover Dam, the Constellation Program's Ares I-X test rocket zooms off Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket produces 2.96 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and reaches a speed of 100 mph in eight seconds. At right is space shuttle Atlantis, poised on Launch Pad 39A for liftoff, targeted for Nov. 16. Liftoff of the 6-minute flight test was at 11:30 a.m. EDT Oct. 28. This was the first launch from Kennedy's pads of a vehicle other than the space shuttle since the Apollo Program's Saturn rockets were retired. The parts used to make the Ares I-X booster flew on 30 different shuttle missions ranging from STS-29 in 1989 to STS-106 in 2000. The data returned from more than 700 sensors throughout the rocket will be used to refine the design of future launch vehicles and bring NASA one step closer to reaching its exploration goals. For information on the Ares I-X vehicle and flight test, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX. Photo courtesy of Scott Andrews

CCP MRAP Run

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-20

Following a training run on the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, MRAP back doors are opened showing seating in the armored vehicle. The 45,000-pound mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, was originally designed for military applications, but will support the agency's Commercial Crew Program at the spaceport. The MRAP offers a mobile bunker for astronauts and ground crews in the unlikely event they have to get away from the launch pad quickly in an emergency.

KSC-08pd2667

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-09-19

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - During space shuttle Endeavour’s rollout to the launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, a worker checks equipment on the tracks of the massive crawler-transporter. The crawler travels on eight tracked tread belts, each containing 57 tread belt “shoes.” Each shoe is 7.5 feet long, 1.5 feet wide and weighs approximately 2,100 pounds. First motion of Endeavour from the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 11:15 p.m. Sept. 18. Endeavour completed the 4.2-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B on Sept. 19 at 6:59 a.m. EDT. For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles are on the launch pads at the same time at the center. Endeavour will stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 10. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue spacecraft, it will be moved to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. That flight is targeted for launch Nov. 12. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Mercury Project

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-01-21

The Little Joe launch vehicle for the LJ1 mission on the launch pad at the wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, on January 21, 1960. This mission achieved the suborbital Mercury cupsule test, testing of the escape system, and biomedical tests by using a monkey, named Miss Sam.

STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, lifts off from KSC LC Pad 39B

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-05-07

STS049-S-251 (7 May 1992) --- The Space Shuttle Endeavour soars toward Earth orbit where a crew of seven NASA astronauts will spend at least a week. Endeavour, the newest orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet, lifted off from Pad 39B at 7:40 p.m. (EDT), May 7, 1992. A diamond shock effect can be seen beneath the three main engines. Onboard are astronauts Daniel C. Brandenstein, mission commander; Kevin P. Chilton, pilot; and Richard J. Hieb, Bruce E. Melnick, Pierre J. Thuot, Kathryn C. Thornton and Thomas D. Akers, all mission specialists.

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NASA Image and Video Library

2007-02-15

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Pelicans and seagulls witness the slow rollout of Space Shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A. First motion out of the Vehicle Assembly Building was at 8:19 a.m. The 3.4-mile trip to the pad along the crawlerway will take about 6 hours. The mission payload aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis is the S3/S4 integrated truss structure, along with a third set of solar arrays and batteries. The crew of six astronauts will install the truss to continue assembly of the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for March 15. Photo credit: NASA/Ken Thornsley

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NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-07

The Cassini spacecraft, with its attached Huygens probe, is lowered from Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station for its return trip to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF). Damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Further internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe are now required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after Cassini returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle. Cassini will explore the Saturnian system, including the planet’s rings, while the Huygens probe will explore the moon Titan

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NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-10

Dornier Satelliten Systeme (DSS) workers lift part of the Huygens probe aft cover assembly in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after the Cassini spacecraft, aboard which Huygens will be launched, returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

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NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-26

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This aerial photo shows the expanse of the Launch Complex 39 Area, bordered at the top by the Atlantic and a cloud-filled sky. At center right, towering above the surrounding sites, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. To the left is the Orbiter Processing Facility's Bay 3. In the foreground are OPF Bays 1 and 2. The two-lane crawlerway stretches from the VAB toward the coast, site of Launch Pad 39A, closest, and Launch Pad 39B, far left. Between the VAB and the ocean sprawl the Banana Creek and the Banana River. Photo credit: NASA

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NASA Image and Video Library

2007-06-27

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At Launch Pad 17-B, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA's Dawn spacecraft is hoisted up on the pad in preparation for stacking with the Delta II launch vehicle. Launch is scheduled for July 7. Dawn is the ninth mission in NASA's Discovery Program. The spacecraft will be the first to orbit two planetary bodies, asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres, during a single mission. Vesta and Ceres lie in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is also NASA's first purely scientific mission powered by three solar electric ion propulsion engines. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder.

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NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-12

Dornier Satelliten Systeme (DSS) workers lift the heat shield of the Huygens probe in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after the Cassini spacecraft, aboard which Huygens will be launched, returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

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NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-12

Dornier Satelliten Systeme (DSS) workers place the back cover of the Huygens probe under its front heat shield in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after the Cassini spacecraft, aboard which Huygens will be launched, returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station

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NASA Image and Video Library

1997-09-10

Dornier Satelliten Systeme (DSS) workers lift the front heat shield of the Huygens probe in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) at KSC. The spacecraft was returned to the PHSF after damage to thermal insulation was discovered inside Huygens from an abnormally high flow of conditioned air. Internal inspection, insulation repair and a cleaning of the probe were required. Mission managers are targeting a mid-October launch date after the Cassini spacecraft, aboard which Huygens will be launched, returns to the pad and is once again placed atop its Titan IVB expendable launch vehicle at Launch Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Station